City studying new state garbage plan
By Terry Murry on Friday, November 11th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
PENDLETON – Pendleton’s Solid Waste Advisory Board is meeting this month to discuss the implications of regulations that will allow for curbside pickup of co-mingled items for recycling. Public Works Director Bob Patterson says the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality is working on rules for this, and it looks like it will be costly.
“The thing about curbside pickup, it would add another probably $6 a month in cost,” he said. “Then, you’re co-mingling these items whereas currently we separate them out. Because they’re co-mingled, they get separated out elsewhere, so it adds expense.”
Patterson said that currently Pendleton is doing well with its recycling of materials that are separated by the consumer.
“We’ve done voluntary recycling for years, and we’re at 30 percent recycled materials for our waste stream,” he said.
The advisory board is working on its suggestions to the Pendleton City Council at a future meeting.
