Washington County, OR Trash & Recycling: Recycling Requirements (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- WCC 8.04.055 (Business recycling requirement)
- Who's covered
- All businesses in unincorporated county
- Hauler duty
- On-route recycling collection required (8.04.344)
- Penalty range
- $25–$300 civil penalty (8.04.580)
- Appeal window
- 10 days to file notice of review
- Scope
- Unincorporated area only, not Hillsboro/Beaverton
Summary
WCC 8.04.055 requires every business in unincorporated Washington County, stores, offices, restaurants, warehouses, schools, hospitals and similar entities, to comply with the waste prevention, recycling and composting rules in the county's solid waste and recycling program administrative rules. Certificated haulers face a parallel duty under 8.04.344 to provide on-route recycling collection to every customer.
All businesses within the county shall comply with waste prevention, recycling and composting requirements as set forth in the county's solid waste and recycling program administrative rules. For the purpose of this section, the term business shall mean any commercial or nonprofit entity, such as a store, office, manufacturing and industry facility, restaurant, warehouse, school, college, university, government, hospital and other similar entities doing business within the unincorporated county, but excludes businesses permitted in residences.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Community Development Code: Supplement 2 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 25).
Full Breakdown
055 states that 'All businesses within the county shall comply with waste prevention, recycling and composting requirements as set forth in the county's solid waste and recycling program administrative rules,' and defines 'business' broadly to include any commercial or nonprofit entity, a store, office, manufacturing or industry facility, restaurant, warehouse, school, college, university, government, or hospital, operating in the unincorporated county, though it excludes a business run out of a residence. 344: every certificate holder must provide on-route collection of source-separated recyclable material to all customers, matching whatever materials the Oregon Administrative Rules and county rules designate, and must give customers notices meeting those same state and county requirements. 040). A), the requirement applies only to unincorporated Washington County, a business inside Hillsboro or Beaverton follows that city's own recycling program instead.
Violations & Fines
WCC 8.04.055 doesn't carry its own stated fine, but Chapter 8.04 violations generally are enforced through the garbage and recycling advisory committee's civil-penalty process under WCC 8.04.580: a written notice of assessment carrying a penalty of $25 to $300 for most violations (with a separate percentage-based formula for hauler fee underpayment). A business or hauler can appeal by filing a notice of review with the director within ten days under WCC 8.04.590.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all businesses in the county have to recycle?
Where do I find the actual recycling rules: bins, materials, frequency?
Does my hauler have to offer recycling pickup?
What if my business is inside Hillsboro or Beaverton?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Washington County
Compare Washington County to another location·View the Oregon trash & recycling overview
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