A report outlining the impacts of the garbage and recycling industry on the economy of greater Portland will be presented on Wednesday at an event that people may attend either in person or online.
Since Metro was created in the 1970s, it has managed the greater Portland area’s garbage and recycling system. It is a complex system involving city and county governments setting collection territories and rates for private-sector haulers; private companies operating recycling, composting and other facilities, and transfer stations owned by Metro and by private companies that reuse and recycle as much as possible before remaining garbage is buried in distant landfills.
Each fall Metro forecasts how much of different types of waste will be generated in the greater Portland area, based on economic conditions and trends, population growth, and other factors. This forecast informs how Metro manages the flow of waste through different facilities and informs the amount of revenue Metro receives through fees and taxes on garbage. That revenue pays for recycling information and waste prevention programs and other Metro and local government services.
But until now, Metro has never analyzed the impacts of the garbage and recycling industry on the broader economy across Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties. For example:
- How many workers does the industry directly employ in the greater Portland area?
- What employment and other economic impacts are created by the industry in the area?
- In which counties or industry sectors are current impacts the greatest?
This first-ever economic impact analysis was developed by the Northwest Economic Research Center at Portland State University.
On Wednesday, Sept. 12, Dr. Tom Potiowsky, the Center’s director and a former Oregon state economist, will present the highlights of the analysis in the Council Chamber at Metro Regional Center from noon to 1 p.m. This event is open to the public and attendees are welcome to bring their lunch to this discussion. It will also be broadcast live as a webinar. Dr. Potiowsky will answer questions from participants both at Metro and through the webinar.
The full report will be available on Metro’s website on Wednesday, and a recording of the webinar will be available within a few days after the event.