Eugene, Ore. — After seven years of operation, the Lane County community plastics program is coming to a close. Established in 2018, the program enabled registered community collectors to gather specific types of plastics to keep them out of local landfills. Over its lifespan, the initiative successfully diverted more than 55 tons of plastic waste.
The program focused on collecting plastics labeled as numbers 2, 4, and 5, which include items such as jugs, bottles, plastic bags, bin liners, packaging film, caps, yogurt containers, and some medicine bottles. Community collectors coordinated appointments with Lane County Waste Management to drop off the materials. Collectively, the program prevented over 110,000 pounds of plastic from entering the landfill.
The program’s closure is linked to the recent passage of the Plastic Pollution And Recycling Modernization Act, which was signed into law in January 2022. This legislation updates Oregon’s recycling system, with new requirements taking effect July 1, 2025.
Kelly Bell, Lane County’s master recycler coordinator, acknowledged the contributions of the community collectors and volunteers who helped maintain plastic recycling efforts during the program’s run.
“Thank you to the plastics collectors who stepped up to create the collection program that we’ve used in the interim,” Bell said. “And, of course, master recyclers—some people are both—who have kept some plastic recycling going.”
Bell also outlined the types of plastics that will be accepted under the new recycling law, noting that tubs and smaller buckets must be at least two inches in both height and width to qualify.
Despite the changes, Bell reassured residents that SANIPAC, the local waste management organization, will not be impacted by the new law since it already possesses the necessary recycling equipment to handle the updated stream of plastics.
With the new recycling regulations coming into effect on July 1, the Lane County community plastics collection program will officially conclude one week later, on July 7.
