When Metro received $10 million from the State of Oregon to tackle immediate cleanup needs, local government partners created programs to help their communities. The City of Gresham and Clackamas County partnered with hauling companies and apartment owners to help residents dispose of large items.
Clackamas County regularly collected bulky waste at the River Glen Apartments. Residents were able to place large unwanted household items near the garbage enclosures on a weekly basis during October and November 2022. Over 80 items were collected from the community, including mattresses, various furniture items, appliances and more.
“Maintenance staff expressed that the project not only had been a great opportunity for residents, but also made their jobs easier and safer,” said Tenille Beseda Fillwock, sustainability analyst at Clackamas County. “They also noted that balconies and units are noticeably more open, cleaner, and safer, as well.”
Metro will build from these pilot programs to create their own bulky waste pilot project, which will be conducted in Gresham in fall 2023. The project will track the materials collected and help plan future services and investments to help people get rid of the things they don’t need and reuse things that are still useful.