Recycling – Oregon Celebrates First Hard-to-Recycle Drop-Off Center Opening, Launching a Groundbreaking Step Toward Sustainable Recycling Access and Producer Responsibility Across the State 22-10-2025
Oregon’s Recycling Innovation Takes Shape
Oregon is setting a new national example in recycling innovation with the launch of its first hard-to-recycle material drop-off center. The facility in Ashland is part of a state-wide effort to make recycling easier, more inclusive, and more sustainable. The project was developed through collaboration between the Circular Action Alliance (CAA) and Recology, both key players in implementing Oregon’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) program.
This initiative provides residents with a practical way to recycle materials that were previously impossible to manage through traditional curbside bins. It reflects Oregon’s growing leadership in environmental stewardship and responsible waste management.
What Residents Can Recycle at the New Center
The new drop-off center accepts a wide range of hard-to-recycle materials, including plastic film, expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, shredded paper, and plastic buckets. These are materials that often end up in landfills because local collection systems are not equipped to process them effectively.
By diverting these items into dedicated collection points, Oregon reduces landfill waste and contamination in curbside bins while recovering valuable materials that can be repurposed. The center operates at no cost to residents, making sustainable recycling accessible to everyone.
The Extended Producer Responsibility Framework
This project is rooted in Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act, the first law of its kind in the United States. Enacted in 2022, it requires producers of packaging and paper products to fund and manage parts of the recycling system. Through this framework, producers take financial responsibility for the environmental impact of their products, ensuring that the system remains efficient and fair to residents.
The Circular Action Alliance (CAA) serves as the producer responsibility organization (PRO) managing the program. The alliance oversees the flow of funds from producers, develops education campaigns, and works with industry partners such as Recology to implement the physical infrastructure needed to expand recycling access statewide.
Benefits for Oregon Communities
The launch of the Ashland site represents a practical improvement for communities that have long struggled with difficult materials. Residents now have a convenient, free, and responsible place to dispose of items that don’t fit in their recycling bins.
This approach supports Oregon’s statewide target of reaching a 25% recycling rate for plastic packaging and utensils by 2028. It also reduces the volume of plastic entering landfills and waterways while improving the efficiency of recycling operations.
For residents, the benefit is simple: less confusion about what can be recycled and more confidence that their materials are being properly processed.
Expansion Plans Across the State
The Ashland center is the first of more than 140 drop-off sites planned across Oregon by the end of 2027. The centers will be located in areas that are easy for the public to reach, including transfer stations, recycling depots, Goodwill donation centers, and grocery store parking lots.
The long-term goal is to ensure that 95% of Oregonians live within 15 miles of a RecycleOn site by 2027. Each location will be monitored for participation and contamination levels to evaluate effectiveness and guide future outreach.
The RecycleOn Oregon campaign, launched earlier in 2025, supports this expansion by improving sorting technology, building better transportation links from rural areas, and educating residents about proper recycling practices.
A Model for Other States
Oregon’s extended producer responsibility program stands out as the first in the U.S. to require separate collection systems for hard-to-recycle materials. This unique approach could influence recycling programs nationwide.
Other states, such as Colorado, are already planning to follow Oregon’s lead with similar EPR frameworks that emphasize accessibility, funding accountability, and measurable environmental benefits.
By shifting recycling costs from municipalities to producers, Oregon is demonstrating a model that can scale across the country. It provides clear evidence that environmental responsibility and economic efficiency can work hand in hand.
Looking Ahead
The opening of Oregon’s first hard-to-recycle drop-off center marks the beginning of a larger transformation in how the state approaches recycling. Over time, the system will grow to include more locations, better sorting facilities, and expanded education for residents.
The combination of policy innovation, producer funding, and public participation gives Oregon a solid foundation to meet its recycling goals and set new national standards.
With strong community engagement and continued collaboration between the CAA, Recology, and state agencies, Oregon’s program is positioned to redefine how recycling systems operate in the United States.
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