Sustainability

Recycling Information

Recycling for a Sustainable Future

From hazardous waste to construction salvage, find a way to recycle or reuse.

Used Goods

Community Warehouse collects and redistributes donated furniture and household goods to low-income people in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore is open to the public and sells donated new and quality used building materials, appliances, and furniture at prices well below retail. With three convenient locations, you’ll find a wide selection of items for your home improvement projects. Bring in items you wish to donate or request a pick-up for items that are too big for you to manage on your own. Proceeds from sales help Habitat for Humanity build homes in the Portland and Vancouver areas.

The ReBuilding Center inventory includes sinks, tubs, tile, lumber, doors, windows, trim, and much more, all available for purchase. They also accept donations and their Driving Team provides free pick-up service for large and pre-approved material donations.

Bikes for Humanity PDX is a non-profit bike shop and school in SE Portland whose mission is to increase public access to affordable and safe bicycles while empowering self-sufficiency in bicycle maintenance and commuting. They accept donations of used bikes and parts at their shop.

Unused Paint

Recycle up to 35 gallons of paint for free at Metro Central or Metro South. Quality batches of leftover latex paint are then turned into MetroPaint, which can be purchased for $14 a gallon at various retailers in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. Find more information here.

PaintCare is Oregon’s paint stewardship program, making it possible to conveniently get rid of leftover house paints, stains, and varnishes. Find more information here.

Heating Oil

Homes or businesses that use heating oil can donate used or unused fuel to the Oregon Energy Fund‘s Oil Recycling Program. Run in partnership with the Oil Re-Refining Company (ORRCO), this program converts donated oil into dollars for energy assistance while also contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable environment. Call (971) 386-2124 for more information or to request a pick-up.

Hazardous Waste

Wondering how to best dispose of those old paint cans, motor oil or solvents? Whether you’re a home or business, Metro has drop off centers to take your hazardous waste. Click here to find a recycling option for hazardous waste products. There is a $5 fee to drop off household hazardous waste at a collection facility.

Compact Fluorescent Lamp (CFL) Bulbs

Because they contain a small amount of mercury, used CFLs are considered household hazardous waste. The best way to recycle old bulbs is to take them to a retailer that accepts CFLs, a household hazardous waste collection facility, or a neighborhood collection event accepting used CFLs along with other household materials such as paint, oil, or pesticides. When you recycle a CFL bulb, the mercury, metal and glass can be reclaimed for use in future products.

Here is a list of retailers and organizations that recycle CFL bulbs.

General Recycling Information

Information for the Portland metro region and City of Beaverton

Metro Recycling Information Hotline has friendly staff with fast, helpful answers to your recycling, disposal, and waste prevention questions, including recycling beyond the curb, hazardous waste, and more.

City of Beaverton has information on recycling at the curb and beyond.

Electronics Recycling

Metro has resources for recycling computers, televisions, and other electronics.

Goodwill has partnered with Dell’s Reconnect program to help you easily and responsibly recycle household electronic wares. Bring computers and peripherals to any participating Goodwill collection location.

Construction Salvage and Recycling

Check out Metro’s guide to construction salvage and recycling for information on how you can reduce waste in your next home improvement project.