Bruce Philbrick, Metro's new solid waste manager Bruce Philbrick will return to Portland on Wednesday to take over as Metro's Transfer Station Operations Manager. Bringing with him 21 years of solid waste management experience, Philbrick will be responsible for overseeing solid waste operations at Metro's transfer stations in Oregon City and Northwest Portland. A 1988 graduate of the University of Oregon, Philbrick has served in the solid waste management industry for the past 21 years. He graduated from Portland's Franklin High School in 1980, before joining the military.
Metro's solid waste program handles approximately 45 percent of the region's solid waste and creates gross revenues of $40 million annually. Along with managing the day-to-day operations of Metro's solid waste facilities, Philbrick will be involved in maintaining regulatory compliance of Metro's facilities, development of facility performance measures, program planning, policy setting and coordination with multiple outside contractors.
In his time in the solid waste management industry, Philbrick has helped develop and implement recycling and solid waste disposal programs for both municipal and regional waste management agencies in four different states. Most recently, he served as the as the Superintendent of the Loveland, CO solid waste division. During his 13-year tenure there, Philbrick created a fully integrated residential collection system for refuse, recyclables and yard debris by transitioning to a single style of collection truck and container. These changes resulted in greater efficiency and better worker safety and saved the city hundreds of thousands of dollars. He also ensured Loveland's recycling programs maintained a diversion rate above 50 percent and expanded a recycling center for yard debris into one that now takes more than 50 different items for recycling. In recognition of his efforts as a recycling industry leader, the Colorado Association for Recycling awarded Philbrick their Lifetime Achievement in Recycling award in 2008.
Targeting organics, paper and containers from businesses, and construction and demolition waste, Metro's solid waste recovery program has set aggressive goals for waste reduction and diversion.
"Bruce brings the right experience to help us operate our facilities efficiently and sustainably," said Metro deputy chief operating officer Scott Robinson. "His backtroun in municipal collection will facilitate meeting our customer service objectives."
According to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, 56.8 percent of the waste generated in the Metro region in 2008 was recovered or prevented through recycling and composting programs.