Eugene, OR Trash & Recycling: Recycling Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- License required to haul recyclables
- Yes, for compensation (EC 3.245(1))
- Self-haul to DEQ site
- Exempt from license (EC 3.245(2)(b))
- Landscaper hauling own yard debris
- Exempt (EC 3.245(2)(f))
- Subcontracting collection work
- Needs written city approval (EC 3.249)
- Unlicensed collection penalty
- Up to $500 per day (EC 3.995)
Summary
Eugene doesn't let just anyone haul recyclables for pay: EC 3.245(1) requires a city solid waste collection license to collect residential recyclables, yard debris, or solid waste anywhere in city limits. EC 3.245(2) carves out a short list of exempt collectors, from charitable fundraisers to commercial-only recyclers, but everyone else needs the license before touching a customer's cart.
(1) No person shall collect residential recyclables, yard debris or solid waste within the corporate limits of the city without first obtaining a solid waste collection license for such activity in accordance with the rules adopted by the city manager under section 2.019 of this code. (2) The following persons do not require a solid waste collection license: ... (e) A person who collects recyclable materials only from commercial customers. ... (3) Except as otherwise provided in sections 3.245 through 3.270, no other person shall provide, offer to provide, or advertise for the performance of the services provided for therein for any person or any real property in the city for compensation.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 20739, passed June 8, 2026).
Full Breakdown
019. 245(3)), not just the company that ends up doing the pickup. 245(2) lists who is exempt: a nonprofit civic, community, benevolent or charitable organization that collects and markets source-separated recyclables to raise funds; a person who hauls waste they personally generated straight to a DEQ-authorized disposal, recycling, or resource-recovery site; a property owner who removes a tenant's trash, unless the property has more than five units and the owner is paid to provide that service regularly; a demolition, construction, or remodeling contractor handling waste from the job; a collector who takes recyclables only from commercial customers; and a landscaper who hauls yard debris in their own vehicle as part of a landscaping job. 248. The Eugene Code is current through Ordinance 20739, passed June 8, 2026.
Violations & Fines
Collecting recyclables or solid waste for compensation without a license, or subcontracting collection work without the city manager's written approval under EC 3.249, is punishable under EC 3.995: a civil penalty of up to $500, or an administrative civil penalty under EC 3.045, with each day of continued operation treated as a separate violation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a license to run a small recycling pickup business in Eugene?
Can my landlord haul away what I leave behind when I move out?
Can a commercial recycling company operate in Eugene without a city license?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Eugene
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