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Portland, OR Trash & Recycling: Mandatory Organics Recycling (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified August 2026

Key Facts

Who must comply
Covered food scraps generating businesses
Requirement
Separate food scraps for collection
Enforcer
Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
Related duty
Recycle 75% of solid waste

Summary

Portland requires covered food-scrap generating businesses to separate food scraps from trash for compostable collection under City Code Chapter 17.102.

Covered food scraps generating businesses must separate their food scraps for collection.

d. For all building projects within the City where the total job cost (including both demolition and construction phases) exceeds $50,000, the general contractor must ensure that 75 percent of the solid waste produced on the job site is recycled. In addition, certain materials generated on the job site must be recycled in compliance with administrative rules established by the City Administrator. For an affected building project where there is no general contractor, this requirement applies to the property owner is the person responsible for ensuring compliance with the recycling requirements.

2. Commercial customers that provide garbage collection service to business tenants as part of their rental/lease must provide recycling and, where appropriate, compostable collection systems that will enable the business tenants to recycle in compliance with administrative rules established by the City Administrator.

3. All multifamily complexes within the City must establish recycling systems for their tenants’ use, in compliance with administrative rules established by the City Administrator.

B. The City Administrator may monitor compliance with the requirements of Subsection A. by reviewing available information including, but not limited to, information reported by the customers on their recycling activities, as well as onsite inspections.

Full Breakdown

Portland City Code § 17.102.270 requires every covered food scraps generating business - defined as any organization that cooks, assembles, processes, serves, or sells food, or provides those services for other enterprises - to separate its food scraps for collection. Permittees hauling that business's waste must in turn offer compostable material collection service to it. The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability enforces this alongside the businesses' broader duty to recycle 75 percent of the solid waste they generate.

Violations & Fines

Bureau of Planning and Sustainability inspectors can enter business premises 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on business days to check compliance and may seek an inspection warrant if entry is refused; violating any City Code provision defaults to a fine up to $500, with each day of noncompliance a separate offense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does this apply to Portland households?
The separation mandate in § 17.102.270 A.1.c targets covered food scraps generating businesses, not residences; separate provisions govern residential collection service.
What counts as a covered food scraps generating business?
Any organization that cooks, assembles, processes, serves, or sells food, or acts as a service provider doing that for other enterprises, per Portland City Code § 17.102.020.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Portland

All Portland rules

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