Portland Multifamily Compliance + Regional Drop-Off Resource: Hazardous Waste + Glass Bottles & Jars + Electronics — Metro Central Transfer Station — Portland, OR
Portland owners and managers of apartment, condominium, townhome, and other multifamily residential communities with five or more units must maintain adequate garbage, mixed-recycling, and separate glass-recycling service together with required resident recycling education.
Metro Central is an important supplemental resource for household hazardous waste (HHW), certain electronics, glass bottles and jars, and other materials requiring special handling—but it does not replace the property’s required onsite garbage and recycling service.
[1][2][3]
State-law overlay:
Qualifying landlords with five or more residential dwelling units on a single premises should also account for Oregon’s landlord recycling requirements under ORS 90.318.
Where that statute applies, recycling information must be provided to a new tenant when entering into the rental agreement, in addition to the applicable annual-notice requirement.
[14]
The primary regional drop-off resource is:
Metro Central Transfer Station (6161 NW 61st Ave, Portland, OR 97210)
.
[4]
At a Glance: Portland Multifamily Compliance Requirements
Mandate Type:
Mandatory onsite garbage, mixed-recycling, and separate glass-recycling service with applicable container identification and resident education requirements.
Applicability Threshold:
Apartment, condominium, townhome, and other multifamily residential communities with
five or more dwelling units.
[1]
- Garbage capacity: At least 20 gallons per dwelling unit, per week. [1]
- Mixed-recycling capacity: At least 20 gallons per dwelling unit, per week. [1]
- Glass-recycling capacity: At least 1 gallon per dwelling unit, per week. [1]
- Adequate service: Properties must maintain enough service to prevent garbage, mixed-recycling, and glass containers from overflowing. More than the published minimum may be necessary based on actual resident usage. [1]
- Container identification: Waste and recycling areas must use current, accurate signs and labels. Portland’s permitted commercial hauler is responsible for providing and labeling its exterior collection containers, while property management should ensure that the overall collection area remains properly identified and resident instructions remain current. [1][12]
- Portland new-resident education: Portland requires recycling information to be provided within 30 days after move-in. [1]
- ORS 90.318 new-tenant timing: For qualifying properties where ORS 90.318 applies, recycling information must also be supplied to the new tenant when entering into the rental agreement. Property managers should use the earlier state-law timing where both requirements apply. [14]
- Annual education: Residents must be reminded how to recycle at least once every year. [1][14]
- 75% Portland Code requirement: Portland City Code §17.102.270 establishes a requirement that businesses and multifamily complexes recycle 75% of the solid waste they produce and requires multifamily complexes to establish recycling systems for tenant use. Property owners and managers should comply with the City’s applicable administrative rules and current multifamily service requirements used to implement that requirement. [3]
- Compost: Compost collection is currently optional for Portland multifamily residential communities unless a separate requirement applies to a particular use, business, or operation at the property. [1]
PORTLAND MULTIFAMILY HAULER RULE — 5+ UNITS USE THE COMMERCIAL COLLECTION SYSTEM
Portland multifamily properties with five or more units are served through the City’s commercial garbage and recycling system. Property management may choose from City-permitted commercial garbage and recycling companies rather than being assigned the residential franchise hauler used for smaller residential properties. [12]
Property managers can negotiate: Management may work with the permitted commercial hauler on container size, collection frequency, service configuration, and price. Portland does not require a collection contract, although the property must still maintain the required garbage, mixed-recycling, and separate-glass service. [12]
Hauler responsibility: The permitted commercial hauler provides the exterior garbage, recycling, and glass containers used for its collection service and is responsible for appropriately labeling those hauler-provided containers. [12]
Property-manager responsibility: Management should verify that service capacity remains adequate, waste areas are correctly identified, residents receive current instructions, collection access is maintained, and chronic overflow or contamination is addressed through service adjustments and operational controls.
Why Metro Central Works as a Supplemental Disposal Resource
Glass compliance:
Portland requires glass bottles and jars to be collected separately from paper, plastic, and metal recycling.
Owners and managers of multifamily properties with five or more units must maintain adequate onsite glass-recycling service through the property’s permitted commercial collection system.
[1][2]
If the property’s glass container is missing, overflowing, or improperly labeled, residents should notify property management.
A resident may use an approved drop-off location as an optional alternative, but resident self-hauling does not replace the property’s required onsite glass service.
Free HHW drop-off for households:
Metro’s household hazardous-waste facilities operate
Monday through Saturday, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM, and are closed Sundays.
Disposal is free for qualifying household-generated hazardous waste, subject to Metro’s acceptance requirements and a general daily limit of
35 gallons measured by container size.
[5]
Property-generated hazardous waste:
Waste generated by apartment maintenance, landscaping, renovation, pest control, painting, offices, or other property-management operations is not automatically eligible for the free household program.
Business-generated hazardous waste must follow Metro’s applicable business hazardous-waste process, including eligibility review, application or permitting requirements, appointments, and applicable fees.
[5][15]
- Primary resource: Metro Central Transfer Station [4]
- Address: 6161 NW 61st Ave, Portland, OR 97210 [4]
- General-public hours: 8:00 AM–5:00 PM daily; verify current holiday closures before driving. [4]
- HHW hours: Monday–Saturday, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM; closed Sundays. [5]
- Household HHW limit: Generally 35 gallons per day, measured by container size. [5]
- Before driving: Verify that the specific material is accepted and determine whether an appointment, application, permit, or fee applies. [4][5][15]
Glass Bottle and Jar Compliance: Keep Separate From Mixed Recycling
The rule:
Paper, accepted plastic, and metal belong in Portland’s mixed-recycling container.
Glass bottles and jars must be collected in a separate glass-only container.
[2]
What is accepted:
Empty glass bottles and jars of all colors may be placed in the glass-only container.
Labels may remain attached.
[2]
What is not accepted:
Do not place drinking glasses, ceramics, dishes, mirrors, window glass, light bulbs, vases, cookware, lids, caps, or corks in the glass-recycling container.
[2]
Property-management responsibility:
If a multifamily community with five or more units does not have adequate glass service, property management should work with its permitted commercial hauler to correct the service level or container configuration.
Resident self-haul is a supplemental option and does not eliminate the property’s onsite service requirement.
[1][12]
Household Hazardous Waste: Paint, Pesticides, Fuels & Household Chemicals
Strict warning:
Household hazardous contents and materials should not be placed in apartment trash rooms, compactors, dumpsters, mixed-recycling containers, sinks, storm drains, or on the ground.
[5][6]
Empty-container distinction:
A completely empty or fully dried container that previously held a hazardous product may have different garbage or recycling instructions.
Residents and management should verify the specific container and material through Metro’s current guidance rather than treating every empty container as HHW.
[16]
Common HHW examples may include pesticides, herbicides, poisons, corrosive products, solvents, fuels, paints, motor oil, antifreeze, mercury-containing products, and certain aerosol cans.
Acceptance requirements vary, so residents should confirm that Metro accepts the specific material before traveling.
[5][6]
Household versus business waste:
Metro’s free household program applies to qualifying waste generated through normal household activities.
Materials generated through apartment maintenance, painting, landscaping, pest control, renovation, offices, or other property activities must be evaluated and managed through the applicable business-waste process.
[5][15]
Do not create an informal HHW aggregation point:
Property management should not collect, consolidate, store, or transport resident hazardous materials as part of an ordinary valet-trash program without first confirming applicable hazardous-material, employee-safety, storage, transportation, and disposal requirements.
Hours:
Monday–Saturday, 9:00 AM–4:00 PM.
Closed Sundays.
Always verify acceptance rules, container limits, and holiday closures before driving.
[5]
Electronics: Oregon E-Cycles Free Drop-Off for Covered Devices
Covered devices:
Oregon E-Cycles currently provides free recycling for covered
desktop computers,
laptops,
tablets,
monitors,
televisions, and
printers.
Computer keyboards and mice are also accepted free of charge.
[7]
Free limit:
Anyone may take seven or fewer covered devices at one time
to a participating Oregon E-Cycles collection site for free recycling.
[7]
Disposal restriction:
Oregon disposal sites cannot accept computers, monitors, or televisions for ordinary disposal.
These devices must be routed to an appropriate electronics-recycling program or collection site.
[8]
Not every electronic is covered:
Phones, speakers, appliances, embedded-battery products, and other electronics may not qualify for free Oregon E-Cycles service.
Confirm current acceptance requirements and possible fees before delivery.
[7]
Oregon Bottle Bill: Claiming the 10-Cent Refund Value
Refund value:
Oregon’s Bottle Bill applies a 10-cent container deposit to qualifying redeemable beverage containers.
[9]
Recycling versus redemption:
Eligible deposit bottles and cans may still be placed in the property’s appropriate recycling container.
However, the resident will not personally receive the 10-cent refund.
To claim the refund value, return eligible containers to BottleDrop or another authorized redemption location.
[2][9]
Portland BottleDrop options:
Glisan Redemption Center (555 NE 122nd Ave, Portland, OR 97230)
[10]
|
Trader Joe’s NW Glisan BottleDrop (2122 NW Glisan St, Portland, OR 97210)
[11]
BottleDrop locations, services, container limits, and operating hours can change.
Verify the selected location before traveling.
How We Solve This For You (National Doorstep)
Compliance is operational.
In Portland, National Doorstep helps property management standardize resident routines, support required resident education, document contamination, and maintain clear separation between mixed recycling, glass bottles and jars, electronics, hazardous materials, and ordinary trash.
Portland recognizes the doorstep-to-onsite-bin model:
The City’s commercial waste-system materials expressly identify
valet services that collect waste from multifamily tenants’ doors and take it to onsite bins
as participants in Portland’s commercial waste ecosystem.
[13]
National Doorstep’s operating role:
National Doorstep operates in this upstream, property-level role by moving eligible resident-setout materials from apartment doors to approved property-designated collection locations on private property.
The service supports resident convenience, source separation, contamination reduction, documentation, and cleaner collection areas.
Permitted-hauler boundary:
National Doorstep does not replace the City-permitted commercial garbage and recycling company responsible for downstream collection.
Standard National Doorstep service does not transport ordinary collected property waste off-site or perform regulated commercial hauling unless a separate legally compliant authorization and service arrangement applies.
[12][13]
Our operational protocols can support properly identified onsite collection areas, new-resident instructions, annual recycling reminders, contamination notices, and documentation through National Doorstep’s Proof of Pickup® technology.
Special-material limitation:
Household hazardous waste, business-generated hazardous waste, electronics, batteries, and other specially regulated materials are not accepted through standard doorstep trash or recycling collection unless a separate, legally compliant service has been expressly arranged.
These materials must be routed through an authorized program or facility.
Hazardous-waste limitation:
Ordinary National Doorstep doorstep personnel do not collect, consolidate, store, transport, or dispose of regulated household or business hazardous waste as part of standard valet-trash service.
The result is a clearer resident-facing program designed to reduce contamination, rejected material, illegal dumping, and preventable collection-area problems without asking residents to guess where specialty materials belong.
CTA:
Request a Free Compliance Audit for your Portland Property
EEAT Sources: [1] City of Portland: Multifamily recycling requirements, five-unit threshold, service capacity, labeling, resident education, and compost guidance | [2] City of Portland: Recycling guidance for mixed recycling, glass bottles and jars, and deposit containers | [3] Portland City Code §17.102.270: Businesses and Multifamily Complexes Required to Recycle | [4] Metro: Metro Central Transfer Station address and operating details | [5] Metro: Household hazardous-waste hours, household limits, and household disposal requirements | [6] Oregon DEQ: Household Hazardous Waste handling and disposal guidance | [7] Oregon DEQ: Oregon E-Cycles covered devices and free seven-item limit | [8] Oregon DEQ: Electronics disposal ban and recycling requirements | [9] Oregon DEQ: Oregon Bottle Bill and 10-cent container deposit | [10] BottleDrop: Glisan Redemption Center address and services | [11] BottleDrop: Trader Joe’s NW Glisan location, address, and services | [12] City of Portland: Multifamily commercial garbage service, permitted hauler choice, containers, service levels, and contracts | [13] City of Portland: Commercial Waste System Overview — Multifamily Valet Services and Other System Participants | [14] Oregon ORS 90.318: Landlord Recycling Location, Collection, Annual Notice, and New-Tenant Notice Requirements | [15] Metro: Business Hazardous Waste — Eligibility, Application, Appointments, and Fees | [16] Metro: Common Household Hazardous Products — Empty and Dried Container Guidance
Regulatory content reviewed against official sources on August 10, 2026. This page provides general operational information and is not legal advice, an official government determination, or a guarantee of compliance. Facility hours, accepted materials, rates, collection requirements, and program rules may change. Property management should confirm current property-specific requirements with the City of Portland, Metro, Oregon DEQ, the property’s permitted commercial hauler, and qualified legal counsel where appropriate.
Portland-area apartment owners, asset managers, and on-site teams: protect NOI and reduce regulatory risk by aligning valet trash & recycling operations with applicable requirements under Portland City Code Chapter 17.102, ORS 90.318 where its statutory criteria apply, Metro regional service standards, and the local solid-waste rules of the municipality in which the property is located.
Within the City of Portland, owners and managers of multifamily communities with five or more dwelling units must maintain adequate garbage, mixed-recycling, and separate glass-recycling service; ensure collection areas are correctly identified; provide property-specific recycling information within 30 days after move-in; and remind residents how to recycle at least once each year.
Portland's minimum weekly service capacity is 20 gallons of garbage, 20 gallons of mixed recycling, and 1 gallon of glass recycling per dwelling unit. These are minimums rather than guaranteed safe harbors: additional capacity or collection frequency is required when necessary to prevent overflow.
ORS 90.318 is conditional rather than an unconditional statewide five-unit mandate. It applies when a landlord has five or more residential dwelling units on a single premises, or five or more manufactured dwellings in a single facility, in a city—or qualifying county area within the urban growth boundary of a city—that has implemented multifamily recycling service. Where applicable, the statute requires an adequate recycling location, regular collection of designated source-separated recyclable materials, annual notice, and new-tenant recycling information when entering into the rental agreement.
- Protect NOI & Reduce Risk: Align property operations with applicable state, Metro, city, collection-provider, sanitation, nuisance, landlord-tenant, and fire-safety requirements.
- Resident-First Convenience: Doorstep service can reduce resident trips to centralized collection areas and support cleaner communities, stronger participation, and more consistent source separation.
- Code- & Metro-Smart Design: Container capacity, collection frequency, glass separation, signage, resident instructions, bulky-waste procedures, and special-waste routing should reflect the property's actual jurisdiction.
- Operational Compliance Support: National Doorstep can support resident education, contamination reduction, service documentation, and coordination with the legally authorized downstream hauler while property management retains responsibility for property-level legal obligations.
PORTLAND MULTIFAMILY COMPLIANCE SHORTCUT — 5+ UNITS
Minimum weekly service: 20 gallons garbage + 20 gallons mixed recycling + 1 gallon separate glass recycling per dwelling unit, per week.
No-overflow requirement: Increase capacity or pickup frequency whenever the minimum service level does not meet actual resident demand.
Open-market collection system: Portland multifamily properties with five or more units are part of the City's commercial collection system. Management may choose any City-permitted commercial hauler; the City does not assign these properties a geographic residential-franchise hauler.
Hauler vs. property responsibility: Permitted commercial haulers have obligations concerning hauler-provided collection containers, City-approved labels, collection services, and other permit requirements. Property management should ensure the overall waste area is properly identified, adequate service is maintained, and residents receive required education.
New-resident notice: Portland requires property recycling information within 30 days after move-in. If ORS 90.318 also applies, provide the required state recycling information when entering into the rental agreement.
75% Code provision: Portland Code §17.102.270 states that businesses and multifamily complexes must recycle 75% of the solid waste they produce and requires multifamily complexes to establish recycling systems for tenant use. Property managers should implement that requirement through the City's current administrative and multifamily service rules rather than representing the provision as a requirement to manually weigh every property waste stream.
Official links: Portland Multifamily Requirements · Set Up Multifamily Service · Portland Code §17.102.270
At a Glance: City of Portland vs. Other Multnomah County Jurisdictions
City of Portland — Inside City Limits
- Mandate Type: Mandatory garbage, mixed-recycling, separate-glass, adequate-capacity, collection-area identification, and resident-education requirements for multifamily residential communities with 5+ units.
- Minimum Capacity: 20 gallons garbage + 20 gallons mixed recycling + 1 gallon glass per unit per week.
- Overflow: More service must be provided when the published minimum does not prevent containers from overflowing.
- Collection System: Open-market commercial system. Owners/managers choose a City-permitted commercial collection company and negotiate price, frequency, container size, and contract terms.
- Glass: Glass bottles and jars are collected separately from mixed recycling.
- Resident Education: Portland information within 30 days after move-in and at least annually. Where ORS 90.318 applies, use its earlier rental-agreement notice timing.
- Compost: Multifamily residential compost collection is currently optional unless a separate requirement applies to a particular business or use at the site.
-
Key Links:
Portland Multifamily Recycling · Permitted Commercial Haulers · Portland Code Chapter 17.102
Other Multnomah County Cities & Unincorporated Areas
- No Universal Portland Standard: Portland's 20/20/1 minimum should not be applied automatically outside Portland city limits.
- Gresham Is Different: Gresham currently requires a significantly higher 40/40/1 multifamily minimum.
- ORS 90.318: Evaluate the statute separately for each qualifying 5+ unit premises based on jurisdiction and implementation status.
- Local Collection Structure: Other cities may use exclusive franchises, licensed haulers, assigned service providers, or other municipal systems.
- Unincorporated County: Multnomah County licenses solid-waste and recycling collectors in unincorporated areas outside city service boundaries.
- Property Manager Action: Verify the exact property jurisdiction, collector, service standard, glass configuration, resident education, bulky-waste procedures, and special-waste requirements before implementing a program.
-
Key Regional Links:
ORS Chapter 90 · Metro Multifamily Collection Improvements · Multnomah County Hauler Licensing
Metro Multifamily Service Changes: Property-Manager Planning
- Bulky-Waste Service — July 1, 2027: Metro's updated regional service standards call for multifamily bulky-waste collection service to be available within the required service window following a request. Property managers should monitor implementation by their city and collection provider and establish clear resident instructions for requesting bulky-item service.
- Receptacle Colors — July 1, 2028: Regional/local standards include standardized receptacle-color requirements, including orange for source-separated glass. Where the hauler owns the exterior containers, property management should coordinate the transition with the provider rather than independently replacing hauler-owned equipment.
- Property-Manager Action: Update waste-area maps, resident guides, vendor scopes, and property procedures as the applicable city and collection provider implement the regional standards.
- Do Not Confuse System Deadlines With Resident Duties: These implementation dates concern the regional/local collection system and should not be described as deadlines requiring individual residents to purchase containers or self-haul bulky waste.
Metro source: Metro — Improving Collection Services for Multifamily Housing
Multnomah County Cities & Multifamily Property-Manager Requirements
Portland and Gresham have detailed local multifamily service standards. Other Multnomah County jurisdictions use combinations of ORS 90.318, Metro regional standards, local franchise or licensing systems, municipal codes, and provider-specific collection programs. A hauler webpage establishes service availability but should not, by itself, be treated as the sole legal authority establishing every landlord duty.
Swipe or scroll horizontally to view all columns. The city/area column stays fixed.
| City / Area | Regulatory Status | Property Manager & Owner Information |
|---|---|---|
| Portland | Yes — Detailed local 5+ unit multifamily requirements |
Minimum service:
20 gallons garbage + 20 gallons mixed recycling + 1 gallon separate
glass per unit per week.
Increase service whenever minimum capacity does not prevent overflow.
Collection structure: Portland uses an open-market commercial collection system for multifamily properties with 5+ units. Choose a City-permitted commercial hauler and negotiate service and pricing. Education: Provide property recycling information within 30 days after move-in and at least annually. For qualifying ORS 90.318 properties, provide new-tenant recycling information when entering the rental agreement. Glass: Maintain separate glass-bottle-and-jar collection. Labels: Ensure waste areas are properly identified. Coordinate required labels on hauler-provided exterior containers with the permitted commercial hauler. 75% requirement: Portland Code §17.102.270 establishes a 75% recycling requirement and requires tenant recycling systems. Follow current City administrative requirements used to implement the Code. Valet service: Portland's current commercial-system materials expressly recognize valet services that collect waste from multifamily tenant doors and move it to onsite bins. Do not represent valet service as replacing the permitted downstream hauler. Key links: Multifamily Requirements · Commercial Waste System · Portland §17.102.270 |
| Gresham | Yes — Detailed local multifamily requirements; 40/40/1 minimum |
Owner-paid collection:
Gresham Revised Code requires an owner who rents or leases residential or
multifamily dwelling units to subscribe to and pay for collection service
with the applicable licensee on behalf of tenants, subject to the specific
self-haul provision applicable to certain 1–4 dwelling sites.
Multifamily minimums: Gresham requires at least 40 gallons of garbage, 40 gallons of acceptable recyclable materials, and 1 gallon of source-separated glass per unit per week. Overflow: Owners must provide enough receptacles of adequate size to prevent overflow. Accessibility: Multifamily receptacles must be placed in a location accessible to all dwelling units. Collection frequency: Solid waste and applicable recyclable-material collection must generally occur at least weekly. Qualifying compactor service may extend to, but not exceed, 14 days. Glass: Source-separated glass service is required. Current Gresham recycling guidance keeps glass bottles and jars separate from mixed recycling. Yard debris: Gresham provides specific multifamily yard-debris requirements and exemptions. Property management should determine whether yard debris is generated and whether an exemption or alternative management method applies. Property-manager records: Keep current hauler account information, service volume calculations, pickup frequency, contamination notices, resident instructions, and records supporting any exemption relied upon. Key links: Gresham Revised Code — Chapter 7 · Gresham Recycling · Gresham Haulers & Rates |
| Troutdale | Local collection program applies — verify direct ORS 90.318 duties by property |
Troutdale operates a locally regulated garbage and recycling collection
program and currently directs customers to
WM for garbage and recycling service.
Property-manager priorities: Confirm the property's multifamily/commercial account classification, garbage and recycling capacity, service frequency, glass arrangement, bulky-waste procedure, current rates, and accepted-material instructions. ORS 90.318: For a qualifying 5+ unit premises, separately confirm whether the statutory multifamily-service criteria apply. Do not use provider availability alone as proof of every landlord duty. Metro implementation: Monitor Troutdale and WM implementation of regional multifamily service, bulky-waste, receptacle-color, and education standards. Key links: Troutdale — Recycling & Solid Waste · WM Troutdale |
| Fairview | Local franchise/service program — verify direct ORS 90.318 duties by property |
Fairview currently identifies
Twelve Mile Disposal
as its garbage and recycling collection provider.
Property-manager priorities: Confirm the property's multifamily or commercial account, recycling containers, separate-glass service, collection frequency, contamination procedures, current rates, and bulk-item options directly with the City and provider. ORS 90.318: Separately determine whether its criteria apply to a qualifying 5+ unit premises. The existence of a franchise/service provider does not itself establish every direct landlord obligation. Business uses: Where a property contains food-generating commercial businesses, separately evaluate applicable business food-scrap requirements rather than applying those requirements automatically to residential tenants. Key links: Fairview — Recycling & Solid Waste · Fairview — Utility Providers |
| Wood Village | Local collection program — verify direct ORS 90.318 duties by property |
Wood Village currently directs garbage and recycling customers to
WM.
Property-manager priorities: Confirm the actual multifamily/commercial account rather than applying single-family cart instructions to an apartment property. Verify garbage and recycling capacity, glass service, pickup frequency, contamination procedures, bulky-waste handling, rates, and resident education. ORS 90.318: Evaluate applicability separately for a qualifying 5+ unit premises. Metro standards: Monitor future provider implementation of regional multifamily bulky-waste, container-color, and education requirements. Key links: Wood Village — Garbage & Recycling |
| Maywood Park | Local service program — verify direct ORS 90.318 duties by property |
Maywood Park currently identifies
Heiberg Garbage & Recycling
as its waste-management provider.
Property-manager priorities: Confirm whether a specific 5+ unit property exists within the jurisdiction and determine its account type, recycling and separate-glass services, collection frequency, bulky-item procedure, resident education, and ORS 90.318 status. Do not infer a detailed apartment mandate merely from general residential collection information. Key links: Maywood Park — Waste Prevention & Reuse · Maywood Park — New Resident Information |
| Lake Oswego — Multnomah County Portion | City collection program — Republic Services; verify property-specific requirements |
Lake Oswego currently uses
Republic Services
for City garbage and recycling collection and publishes multifamily and
commercial service configurations.
Property-manager priorities: Confirm the Republic Services multifamily account, garbage and recycling container configuration, separate-glass procedure, collection frequency, current rates, bulky-waste service, and any food-waste service applicable to the property. Glass: Lake Oswego's commingled recycling system keeps glass separate. Additional recycling vendors: Lake Oswego has separate licensing requirements for certain businesses providing curbside collection of specified recyclable or reusable materials. Do not assume an ancillary collection vendor may operate off-site without evaluating those licensing requirements. ORS 90.318: Evaluate the statute based on Lake Oswego's applicable multifamily recycling implementation rather than merely because the property lies in the Multnomah County portion of the City. Key links: Lake Oswego — Recycling & Waste · Lake Oswego — Collection Service · Additional Recycling Collection License |
| Milwaukie — Multnomah County Portion | Local collection requirements — verify collector and property jurisdiction |
Milwaukie-area collection arrangements can differ by service territory.
Do not assign one single collector to every Milwaukie property without
confirming the address.
Property-manager priorities: Verify city/county jurisdiction, authorized collector, multifamily service configuration, recycling and glass procedures, collection frequency, bulky-waste options, and any development standards applying to a new or altered garbage/recycling enclosure. ORS 90.318: Evaluate direct landlord duties separately for qualifying 5+ unit premises. Mixed-use caution: Requirements applicable to commercial or business tenants should not automatically be represented as identical residential-apartment obligations. Key links: City of Milwaukie · Milwaukie Solid Waste Management Code |
| Unincorporated Multnomah County | County-licensed collection system — address and service-boundary verification required |
Multnomah County requires persons providing solid-waste or recyclable-material
collection in covered unincorporated areas outside city service boundaries
to obtain an annual County collection license.
Licensed-hauler choice: A County-licensed hauler may provide single-family, multifamily, commercial, and/or drop-box service in applicable unincorporated County areas. The provider establishes its own service fees. Property-manager priorities: Verify that the property's collector holds the appropriate County license; confirm multifamily service level, recycling availability, glass procedures, special-waste routing, collection access, and applicable Metro/County standards. Important National Doorstep distinction: Do not automatically apply Portland City's treatment of valet door-to-onsite-bin service to unincorporated Multnomah County. The County's licensing language applies broadly to persons collecting solid waste or recyclable materials in covered areas. Before implementing an independent doorstep operating model, confirm with Multnomah County whether the proposed property-level activity requires a County collection license or other authorization. ORS 90.318: Determine whether the property lies within an applicable city UGB/service area where multifamily recycling service has been implemented. Key links: Multnomah County — Hauler Licensing · Multnomah County Code Chapter 27 |
Portland vs. Gresham: Do Not Use the Same Service Calculation
Portland — Minimum Weekly Capacity
- Garbage: 20 gallons / unit
- Mixed Recycling: 20 gallons / unit
- Separate Glass: 1 gallon / unit
- Additional Service: Required as necessary to prevent overflow
- Hauler Model: Open-market City-permitted commercial hauler
Gresham — Minimum Weekly Capacity
- Garbage: 40 gallons / unit
- Acceptable Recyclables: 40 gallons / unit
- Separate Glass: 1 gallon / unit
- Collection: Generally at least weekly; qualifying compactors at least every 14 days
- Owner Duty: Owner of rented residential/multifamily units subscribes to and pays for collection on behalf of tenants, subject to the Code's limited 1–4 dwelling self-haul provision
Property-manager warning: Never copy Portland's 20/20/1 calculation into a Gresham multifamily property. The jurisdictions have materially different local minimum-service standards.
Portland & Regional Fines, Assessments & Enforcement Snapshot
- Portland Civil Assessments: Under Portland City Code §17.102.090, a violation of Chapter 17.102 may be subject to an assessment of up to $500 for a first violation, up to $1,000 for a second violation by the same person, and up to $1,500 for third and subsequent violations by the same person.
- Not Automatic: These are maximum authorized assessments. They should not be advertised as automatic fines for every overflowing container, damaged label, contamination event, missed pickup, or resident complaint.
- Assessment Basis: Portland may determine the appropriate assessment basis according to the applicable Code and enforcement circumstances.
- ORS 90.318: ORS 90.318 does not itself state a fixed dollar administrative fine in that section. Remedies or enforcement can arise through applicable landlord-tenant law, local requirements, or other independently enforceable provisions.
- Gresham: Gresham has separate customer, licensee, collection, and enforcement provisions. Do not apply Portland's §17.102.090 assessment schedule to a Gresham property.
- Other Cities: Notice procedures, penalties, correction periods, nuisance rules, and collection enforcement differ by municipality.
- Unincorporated County: Collection licensing and service standards are governed by Multnomah County Code Chapter 27 and associated administrative rules in covered areas.
- Risk Management Tip: Maintain current service agreements, invoices, container-capacity calculations, resident notices, service records, photographs, contamination reports, illegal-dumping documentation, and communications with the applicable City, County, Metro, and collection provider.
Official links: Portland §17.102.090 — Assessments · Gresham Revised Code — Chapter 7 · Multnomah County Hauler Licensing
Portland & Multnomah County Multifamily Recycling Compliance Checklist
Swipe or scroll horizontally to view all columns. The task column stays fixed.
| Task | Action / Requirement | Helpful Links |
|---|---|---|
| ☑ Confirm City, County & Unit Count | Identify the actual municipality and verify the number of dwelling units on the premises. Do not use “Portland metro” or “Multnomah County” as a substitute for determining the controlling city. | ORS Chapter 90 · Multnomah County |
| ☑ Use the Correct City Service Formula |
Portland: 20/20/1 per unit per week. Gresham: 40/40/1 per unit per week. For all other cities, confirm the applicable municipal, franchise, provider, and Metro service standards rather than copying either city's formula. |
Portland Requirements · Gresham Chapter 7 |
| ☑ Determine Whether ORS 90.318 Applies | If the landlord has five or more residential dwelling units on one premises, determine whether the property is in a jurisdiction that has implemented multifamily recycling service. Where applicable, maintain an adequate recycling location, regular collection, annual notice, and new-tenant notice when entering into the rental agreement. | ORS 90.318 |
| ☑ Confirm Authorized Collector |
Portland: use a City-permitted commercial hauler. Gresham: use the applicable City licensee. Fairview: verify Twelve Mile Disposal. Wood Village / Troutdale: verify current WM service. Maywood Park: verify Heiberg Garbage & Recycling. Lake Oswego: verify Republic Services. Milwaukie: verify collector by address. Unincorporated County: use an appropriately licensed County hauler. |
Portland Permitted Haulers · County Hauler Licensing |
| ☑ Right-Size Containers & Frequency | Compare subscribed capacity and collection frequency with the applicable jurisdictional minimum and actual resident usage. Recurring overflow should trigger a review of container size, number of containers, or pickup frequency. | Portland Capacity Requirements |
| ☑ Keep Glass Separate | Confirm the property's separate-glass configuration. Portland, Gresham, and other Metro-area systems generally keep glass bottles and jars separate from mixed recycling. Follow the actual City/provider instructions for the property. | Portland Recycling · Gresham Recycling |
| ☑ Provide Required Resident Education | Follow the applicable City's resident-education timetable and ORS 90.318 where applicable. For Portland qualifying properties, provide City information within 30 days of move-in, annual education, and the earlier ORS rental-agreement notice when ORS 90.318 applies. | Portland Multifamily Resources · ORS 90.318 |
| ☑ Verify Container Labels & Waste-Area Signs | Keep resident-facing waste areas clearly identified. Where exterior containers are owned or supplied by the hauler, coordinate regulatory labels and container-color requirements with that provider. Do not remove, obscure, or replace required provider/City labels with conflicting property signage. | Portland Signs & Guides |
| ☑ Establish a Bulky-Waste Procedure | Provide residents with clear instructions for furniture, mattresses, appliances, move-out material, and other bulky items. Monitor Metro/local implementation of updated multifamily bulky-waste service standards and update the property's procedure accordingly. | Metro Multifamily Improvements |
| ☑ Keep HHW & Special Waste Out of Standard Doorstep Service | Do not accept resident HHW, property-generated hazardous waste, regulated electronics, batteries, fuels, chemicals, or other specially controlled material through ordinary doorstep trash/recycling service unless a separate legally compliant program has been established. | Metro HHW · Oregon E-Cycles |
| ☑ Confirm Doorstep-Service Licensing Boundary |
Portland:
the City's current commercial-system materials expressly identify valet
services that move waste from multifamily tenant doors to onsite bins as
participants in the commercial system.
Keep the service upstream from the permitted downstream hauler.
Outside Portland: do not assume Portland's treatment controls. Review the applicable city's franchise/license requirements. For unincorporated Multnomah County, confirm with the County whether the proposed doorstep collection activity requires a County collection license. |
Portland Commercial System Overview · Multnomah County Hauler Licensing |
| ☑ Document Service & Corrective Action | Maintain collection agreements, invoices, container/service calculations, resident notices, photographs, contamination records, overflow reports, bulky-waste documentation, complaints, illegal-dumping reports, and corrective-action correspondence. Documentation supports compliance efforts but does not cure an inadequate service level or other underlying violation. | National Doorstep — Proof of Pickup® |
| ☑ Review Service Annually | At least annually, confirm current hauler authorization, collection rates, container quantities, pickup frequency, accepted materials, glass procedures, resident education, bulky-waste options, Metro implementation changes, and jurisdiction-specific legal requirements. | Metro Garbage & Recycling |
National Doorstep Operating Boundary — Portland vs. Other Multnomah County Jurisdictions
Portland: The City expressly identifies valet services that collect waste from multifamily tenant doors and move it to onsite bins as participants in Portland's commercial waste system. National Doorstep can operate in this upstream property-level role under an appropriate property operating arrangement.
National Doorstep does not replace the City-permitted commercial garbage/recycling hauler responsible for downstream collection and does not transport ordinary collected property waste off-site as part of standard doorstep service.
Other cities: Portland's commercial-system description is not a countywide authorization. Before operating in Gresham, Troutdale, Fairview, Wood Village, Maywood Park, Lake Oswego, Milwaukie, or another jurisdiction, confirm the applicable local franchise, license, collector, and operating requirements.
Unincorporated Multnomah County: County rules require collection licensing for persons providing covered solid-waste or recyclable-material collection service. The specific treatment of an independent door-to-property-container model should be confirmed with Multnomah County before implementation rather than inferred from Portland City guidance.
No hazardous-material aggregation: Ordinary National Doorstep personnel do not collect, consolidate, store, transport, or dispose of regulated household or business hazardous waste as part of standard valet-trash service.
Want to identify potential operational gaps at your Portland- or Multnomah County–area property? Request a Free Compliance Audit for your Portland-area property . We'll review jurisdiction, unit count, authorized collector, onsite container capacity, pickup frequency, glass service, resident education, bulky-waste procedures, special-waste routing, documentation, and the operating boundary between doorstep service and the legally authorized downstream collector.
National Doorstep provides operational waste and recycling support and does not provide legal advice, issue governmental determinations, or guarantee regulatory compliance. Property owners and managers remain responsible for confirming current state, Metro, municipal, County, franchise, licensing, landlord-tenant, sanitation, and fire-safety requirements with applicable authorities and qualified counsel where appropriate.
Official Regulatory & Property-Manager Sources — Reviewed August 10, 2026
- City of Portland — Multifamily Recycling Requirements
- City of Portland — Set Up Multifamily Garbage & Recycling Service
- City of Portland — Permitted Commercial Garbage & Recycling Companies
- City of Portland — Commercial Waste System Overview & Multifamily Valet Services
- Portland Code §17.102.270 — Businesses and Multifamily Complexes Required to Recycle
- Portland Code §17.102.090 — Assessments
- Oregon Revised Statutes Chapter 90 — ORS 90.318
- Gresham Revised Code Chapter 7 — Multifamily Service Standards
- City of Gresham — Recycling
- City of Gresham — Haulers & Rates
- City of Troutdale — Recycling & Solid Waste
- City of Fairview — Recycling & Solid Waste
- City of Wood Village — Garbage & Recycling
- City of Maywood Park — Waste Prevention & Reuse
- City of Lake Oswego — Recycling & Waste
- City of Lake Oswego — Additional Recycling Collection Services License
- City of Milwaukie — Official Site
- Multnomah County — Solid Waste & Recycling Hauler Licensing
- Multnomah County Code Chapter 27 — Community Services / Solid Waste & Recycling
- Metro — Improving Collection Services for Multifamily Housing
Regulatory content reviewed against available official sources on August 10, 2026. Laws, administrative rules, local programs, hauler assignments, rates, collection standards, regional implementation schedules, and enforcement practices may change.
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