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Work teams help clean trash and debris at campsites – as much as 1,000,000 pounds per month.
The average American produces nearly 5 pounds of trash per day. When people live unsheltered, without access to garbage service, that trash becomes visible — and it can become a health risk, too.
Responding to community reports, the Impact Reduction Program dispatches work teams to campsites across Portland to help collect trash. This service is designed to improve health and safety for people living in encampments, as well as for the broader community.
Teams work collaboratively with unhoused people to respect personal belongings while removing trash such as old household items, food waste, discarded furniture, drug paraphernalia and more.
In the last fiscal year (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025) the program collected an average of 1,030,000 pounds of trash near campsites each month. Trash removal is part of the Impact Reduction Program's work to minimize the impacts of homelessness today while the City of Portland expands long-term access to safe, affordable housing.
Request cleanup and garbage removal
Community reports generate the City's work plan for garbage removal. Every report is reviewed, with priority given to the areas that pose the greatest health and safety risks.
Report concerns about camp related trash and garbage online or by calling 311 or 503-823-4000.