History of the program
The public trash can program was started by the City’s Bureau of Maintenance in 1977 and was transferred to Solid Waste and Recycling in 1998.
Program expansion
In 2016, the Portland City Council adopted an increase to the solid waste commercial tonnage to expand the public trash program. The expansion adds trash cans and collection service to regional, town, and neighborhood centers, as delineated in the 2035 City of Portland Comprehensive Plan.
In June 2017, Portland’s Jade District was the first to receive new trash receptacles as part of a pilot project to evaluate the performance of a new can design, graphics, and can placement.
The program has since expanded into East Portland, with the addition of over 200 new trash cans. Since then, the City has added over 700 new public trash cans throughout Portland. The total number of City-managed public trash containers is expected to be 1,600 by the end of 2025.
About the trash cans
The 65-gallon trash cans display art designed by local artists. They also include a side-bin for returnable deposit cans and bottles that allows members of the public to remove those containers to be able to collect the deposit refund.
The cans are 4.5-feet tall and take up a 3x3-foot space on the ground. In some cases, such as narrow sidewalks, a smaller 35-gallon can may be used.
The cans are emptied on a regular schedule by waste haulers contracted by the City.
For more information related to public trash cans, visit the program home page.