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Don’t miss a pickup: Set bins out the night before
On very hot days, waste collection drivers may start picking up earlier than 6 a.m.
If temperatures will be 95 degrees or more on your regular pickup day, set out garbage, recycling, and compost bins the night before to avoid missing a pickup.
The City allows garbage companies to pick up early on very hot days to protect the health and safety of waste collection drivers.
As Josh Brown, district manager for Arrow Sanitary, one of Portland's residential garbage companies, explains:
“We are asking residential customers to help us keep our drivers safe by placing bins at the curb the night before. Our drivers work 10- to 11-hour days inside trucks that can get overwhelmingly hot.
Allowing our team to start collection early will get them off the streets earlier and reduce the potential for heat-related illnesses.
We appreciate the community's support in helping to protect our most valuable asset, the hard-working men and women collecting your garbage and recycling.”
If your pickup is missed
Please contact your garbage and recycling company directly. For other questions related to garbage and recycling, contact our Curbside Hotline.
Get real-time alerts
Download the Portland Garbage Day Reminder app (App Store or Google Play) to get real-time notices about weather-related service delays, including early pickup during summer heatwaves and delayed pickup during winter storms.
Or get notifications by email, text, or phone call: Sign up for garbage day reminders.
Dropping off hazardous waste?
Check Metro's website or call 503-234-3000 to confirm the Hazardous Waste and Transfer Station hours. They may close early due to the heat.
More heat-related information
Go to the City of Portland's Stay Safe During Heat page or visit Public Alerts.