Garbage rates change on July 1
Most residential customers will see an increase on their monthly garbage bill of about 1% starting July 1, 2022. The increase is primarily due to increased fuel costs and higher regionwide garbage disposal fees.
Your monthly waste collection charge is based on the size of your garbage container. Call your garbage company to change the size of your container.
| | 20-gallon | 35-gallon | 60-gallon | 95-gallon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $30.15 | $34.90 | $39.45 | $45.70 |
| Weight limit | 60 pounds | 85 pounds | 135 pounds | 175 pounds |
Note: Some homes on the westside of Portland fall into the Westside Terrain rates area.
Renters: Property owners of residential (1-4 unit) rental properties are required to set up and pay for service for tenants.
All rate information, including how rates are set, is available in the following languages: Español, Pусском, Tiếng Việt, 简体中文版, Fosun ekis, Română, Soomaali, Україньска, and भाषा.
Residential rates apply to houses and smallplexes (2-4 units); rates for multifamily communities and businesses are not set by the City.
Collection calendars arrive in June
In June, every single-family home in Portland will receive the Portland Curbsider publication, which includes a 12-month garbage collection schedule.
You'll receive either a purple or orange schedule, depending on where you live:
To find out if your home is on a purple or orange collection schedule, look up your address, scroll down "Your Collection Schedule" and click on "Download a printable collection schedule" – the schedule will be either purple or orange.
You can also sign up for garbage day reminders to get an email the day before your pick-up day with a reminder of which bins to set out.
Sign up for garbage day reminders
Other highlights from the Curbsider
Guide to what goes in the bins
This full-page poster shows what items are allowed in your recycling, compost, and garbage bins. This year's guide got a fresh new look, but the list of what's allowed in the bins hasn't changed.
Post the guide where it's easy to see. Many Portlanders put this guide on their fridge, inside a kitchen cupboard door, or in their garage, so it's easy to double-check.
Not sure how to get rid of something? For items that can't go in any of your bins - like chemicals, TVs, computers, and CFL light bulbs, call Metro at 503-234-3000 or submit a question online. Metro staff will let you know your options for safe disposal or recycling.
How to get rid of big, bulky items
You’ve got options! Call 503-234-3000 or submit a question online to find pick-up and drop-off options for donation, recycling, and disposal.
Is it still usable? If it’s gently used, then giving it a second life is a great choice. There are many local nonprofits that welcome quality used items. Or offer it for free through online sharing groups.
Can it be recycled? Did you know that broken microwaves, vacuums, and TVs can be recycled? They aren’t allowed in your blue bin, but there are drop-off recycling options.
Definitely trash? Call your garbage company for a cost estimate and pick-up date. Or drop off at a Metro transfer station: find more information and rates. A passing rain shower or neighborhood pet can quickly turn usable items into trash. If you’ve arranged to have a large item picked up as garbage, wait until the scheduled day to set it out.
Include the food in your compost bin
Adding food scraps to your green bin makes a ton of difference. 400,000 tons to be exact. That’s how much nutrient-rich compost has been made from the food and yard waste collected from Portland homes over the past 10 years: Enough to enrich over 1,500 acres of farmland.
You’re helping plants and the people who grow them. What may look like a plain pile of dirt to us is a gleaming buffet of tasty and nutritious food to plants. Compost keeps soil healthy, and healthy soil grows healthy plants with less water and fewer chemical fertilizers. That benefits everyone, from Oregon’s largest farms to first-time gardeners patiently waiting to pick their first homegrown tomato.
Keeping food out of the landfill is a climate win. When you throw food in the garbage, it goes into a landfill where it creates methane gas, which worsens the climate crisis. That’s why it matters that all your food waste gets into the compost bin, from carrot peels and sandwich crusts to long-forgotten leftovers hiding in the back of the fridge.
Big or small, we want it all. All food scraps are welcome, including peels, pits, bones, shells, plate scrapings, leftovers, and spoiled food. See a full list of what is, and isn’t, allowed in your green bin.