City Code Section
- For purposes of Chapter 17.102, and rules adopted thereunder, the following terms shall be understood to have the meanings specified in this Section. Terms, words, phrases, and their derivatives used but not specifically defined in this Chapter shall have meanings commonly accepted in the community.
- A. “Administrative Rule” means all rules promulgated under Section 17.102.030 of this Chapter.
- B. "Approved Residential Recycler" means a person that has been granted approved residential recycler status by the Director. Approved residential recycler includes any employees or other persons authorized to act on behalf of the approved residential recycler.
- C. “Assessment” means a civil penalty assessed for an infraction as provided in Chapter 17.102 or the franchise.
- D. “Assigned Territory” means an area within the City in which only a franchisee designated by the City may collect solid waste and recyclable material from residential customers.
- E. “Biodiesel” is a domestic, renewable fuel for diesel engines derived from vegetable oils, or animal fats, designated B100, and which meets the specifications of ASTM #D6751-03a “Standard Specification for Biodiesel Fuel (B100) Blend Stock for Distillate Fuels” or revised ASTM specifications.
- F. “Biodiesel Blend” is a blend of biodiesel fuel meeting the ASTM #D6751-03a or revised ASTM specifications and ASTM #D5453 “Test Method for Determination of Total Sulfur in Light Hydrocarbons, Motor Fuels and Oils by Ultraviolet Fluorescence”, or revised ASTM specifications, comprised of biodiesel and ultra-low sulfur diesel fuels blended by a percentage of each individual component. Biodiesel Blend also includes renewable diesel blends, derived from vegetable oils or animal fats through fractional distillation, if the fuel meets a maximum carbon intensity of 56 gCO2e/MJ as provided by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality Clean Fuels Program.
- G. “Business” means any commercial entity, including industrial and institutional, but not including multifamily complexes or commercial entities that occupy 50 percent or less of the floor area of a residence.
- H. “City” means the City of Portland, Oregon, and such territory outside of this City over which the City has jurisdiction or control by virtue of any Intergovernmental Agreement or law.
- I. “Collect” or “Collection” means to accept, accumulate, store, process, transport, market or dispose of.
- J. “Collection Vehicle” means any vehicle used for the collection of residential or commercial solid waste, recycling or compostables that is safe to operate and ensures the contents are not littered in the course of servicing customers.
- K. “Commercial” means relating to an entity that is non-residential in nature or, if residential, consists of five or more dwelling units on a single tax lot.
- L. “Commercial Collection” means the collection of solid waste, recyclable and compostable materials in exchange for compensation from:
- 1. A non-residential source; or
- 2. A multifamily residence of five or more dwelling units located on a single tax lot.;
- M. “Compensation” means:
- 1. Any type of consideration paid for collection service, including, without limitation, rent or lease payments and any other direct or indirect provision of payment of money, goods, services or benefits by owners, tenants, lessees, occupants or similar persons;
- 2. The exchange of services between persons; and
- 3. The flow of consideration from the person owning or possessing the solid waste recyclable or compostable material to the person providing collection service or from the person providing collection service to the person owning or possessing the solid waste recyclable or compostable material.
- N. "Compostable Material" and “Compostable” means yard debris, food scraps and food soiled paper when source separated for controlled biological decomposition. Compostable material shall not include food soiled paper containing plastic or other materials that inhibit controlled biological decomposition.
- O. "Composting" means the series of activities, including collection, separation, and processing, by which compostable materials are recovered from or otherwise diverted from the solid waste stream for controlled biological decomposition. Composting includes composting of source separated organics but not composting of mixed waste.
- P. "Covered Food Scraps Generating Business” means organizations that cook, assemble, process, serve, or sell food or do so as service providers for other enterprises.
- Q. “Customer” when used to refer to commercial collection service, means a person that has arranged for the collection of solid waste, recyclable or compostable materials, excluding residential collection service covered by a franchise. Where several businesses share containers and service, customer refers only to the person that arranges for the service.
- R. “Customer” when used to refer to residential collection service means any person who receives solid waste, recycling or compostables collection service at a residence (four-plex or smaller) in a franchise territory. The customer need not be the person billed for such service. For rental properties where the owner of the property is required to subscribe for service, the owner shall be considered the customer.
- S. “Director” means the Director of the City’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability or their authorized representative, designee or agent.
- T. "Food Soiled Paper" means paper products that cannot be recycled into paper products and have been in contact with organic materials to the degree that they would not be able to be recycled into paper products. Food soiled paper includes, but is not limited to, used napkins and paper towels.
- U. "Food Scraps” means waste from fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy products, fish, shellfish, nuts, seeds, grains, coffee grounds, and other food that results from the distribution, storage, preparation, cooking, handling, selling or serving of food for human consumption. Food waste includes but is not limited to excess, spoiled or unusable food and includes inedible parts commonly associated with food preparation such as pits, shells, bones, and peels. Food waste does not include liquids or large amounts of oils and meats which are collected for rendering, fuel production or other non-disposal applications, or any food fit for human consumption that has been set aside, stored properly and is accepted for donation by a charitable organization and any food collected to feed animals in compliance with applicable regulations.
- V. “Franchise” means a franchise for the collection of residential solid waste, recyclable materials and compostables, granted by Ordinance No. 181666, and as amended by subsequent ordinances.
- W. “Franchisee” means a business that has been granted a franchise by Ordinance No. 181666 and subsequent amending ordinances. Franchisee includes any employees or other persons authorized to act on behalf of the franchisee. Franchisee has a meaning identical to that of “grantee” as used in the franchise. A franchisee holds a single franchise for collection service in any and all of its franchise territories, including any territories transferred from other franchisees as approved by the Portland City Council, subsequent to Ordinance No. 181666, and as amended by subsequent ordinances.
- X. “Franchise Territory” means an area within the City in which only a person granted a franchise by the City may collect residential solid waste, recyclable materials or compostables, from residential customers. A single franchisee may serve more than one franchise territory.
- Y. “Independent Commercial Recycler” means a person who collects only recyclable materials or yard debris from non-residential sources and does not collect solid waste.
- Z. “Infraction” means a failure to comply with Portland City Code Chapter 17.102, the franchise, or the administrative rules promulgated thereunder, as applicable.
- AA. “Metro” means the metropolitan service district responsible for regional solid waste management and planning within Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties.
- BB. “Multifamily Complex” or “Multifamily” means any multidwelling building or group of buildings that contain(s) five dwelling units or more on a single tax lot, such as apartments, condominiums, mobile home parks, or houseboat moorages. Multifamily also includes certified or licensed residential care housing, such as adult foster care homes.
- CC. "BPS" means the City’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.
- DD. “Permittee” means any person granted a commercial collection permit under Section 17.102.210 of this Chapter.
- EE. “Person” means any individual, partnership, association, firm, trust, estate, a public or private corporation, a local government unit, a public agency, the state or any other legal entity.
- FF. “Recyclable Material” and “Recyclable” means material designated by BPS as retaining useful physical, chemical, or biological properties after serving its original purpose or function, and that can be collected by franchisees or permittees as mixed recyclables in a blue cart, cage, or dumpster, glass recyclables in a separate bin, or used motor oil in an empty milk jug.
- GG. “Recycling” means any process by which materials are transformed into new products in such a manner that the original products may lose their identity.
- HH. “Residence” means any dwelling unit that is a four-plex or smaller, regardless of whether it has subscribed for waste collection, or has waste collection, in individual cans, carts or containers. Residence includes multifamily dwellings such as apartment complexes, condominiums, mobile home parks, or houseboat moorages with four units or fewer on a single tax lot. Residence also includes dwelling units used by fraternities or sororities. Residence does not include any multifamily complex as defined in this Section, multi-dwelling building or group of buildings that contain(s) five dwelling units or more on a single tax lot, such as condominiums, mobile home parks, or houseboat moorages, nor does residence include certified or licensed residential adult foster care homes. Residence does not include any dwelling where over 50 percent of the entire building is being used for business purposes. Agreements between owners of residences purporting to provide for the collection of solid waste and recyclable on a combined basis shall not alter the status of each dwelling unit as a residence.
- II. “Resident” means any person living in a residence.
- JJ. “Residential” means of or pertaining to a residence.
- KK. “Self-haul, Commercial” when used in reference to solid waste, recyclables or compostables generated by a commercial entity, means the collection and transportation of material from a commercial entity where an owner or employee of the entity hauls the material rather than hiring a permittee or independent commercial recycler to perform this function.
- LL. “Solid Waste” has the meaning given in ORS 459.005(24) (2013), but does not include the following materials:
- 1. Sewage sludge, septic tank and cesspool pumpings or other sludge, and grit, screenings and other residues delivered by sewer systems to municipal treatment plants.
- 2. Discarded or abandoned vehicles;
- MM. “Source Separate” means that the person who last used recyclable or compostable material separates the material from solid waste and keeps the recyclable or compostable material separate from solid waste.
- NN. “Yard Debris” includes grass clippings, leaves, hedge trimmings and similar vegetative waste generated from residential property or landscaping activities but does not include stumps or similar bulky wood materials.