Skip to main content

Oregon State Flag An official website of the State of Oregon »

Oregon.gov Homepage

Recycling Material Acceptance Lists

Overview

ORS 459A.914 requires the Environmental Quality Commission to identify by rule two lists of materials:

  1. Materials to be collected by local governments (or their service providers) as part of the opportunity to recycle. This includes most on-route collection from households, some on-route collection from businesses, and some drop-off sites.
  2. Covered products of which a producer responsibility organization must provide for collection through recycling depot or mobile collection events. For such products, the Commission must also establish collection targets, convenience standards and performance standards.  

In 2023, DEQ proposed and the EQC adopted rules containing initial recycling acceptance lists, collection targets convenience standards, and performance standards. Rule concepts and draft rules were developed through an iterative process that included information gathering and analysis, a technical workgroup, modeling of potential economic and environmental impacts, consultation with the state's Recycling Council, a Rulemaking Advisory Committee, and public engagement. 

Past Request for Information (2022)

DEQ published a Request for Information seeking information to inform its initial evaluation of materials against the statutory criteria established in ORS 459A.914(4). The deadline for responses was March 20, 2022.

Current technical workgroup (2025-2026)

DEQ plans to convene a technical workgroup to consult on several issues that may be addressed through rulemaking in 2026.


Meeting 1: Dec. 11, 2025, 10 to 11:30 a.m. PT

Meeting 2: Dec. 15, 2025, 2:30 to 4 p.m. PT

​

DEQ convened a technical workgroup that provided information and important feedback on evaluation methods, data sources, and preliminary research findings. The workgroup also discussed several of the responses to the Request for Information. 

The workgroup met six times between March and September of 2022. All meetings were open to the public. Meeting agendas, presentations, summaries and other information can be viewed below.

​​​​​Meeting 1: March 23, 2022 

​Meeting 2: April 28, 2022

Meeting 3: May 31, 2022


Economic assessment (scenario analysis)

DEQ commissioned extensive modeling of the potential direct cost implications (labor, fuel, etc.) of more than twenty different potential future recycling scenarios, each with different recycling acceptance lists and modes of collection. This was paired with an analysis of 13 different categories of environmental impacts, which were also evaluated for their economic impacts as indirect costs.

Rulemaking

Initial acceptance lists, collection targets, convenience and performance standards were established as part of a multi-topic rulemaking that was completed in November 2023. 

In a third Recycling Modernization Act rulemaking scheduled for 2025/2026, DEQ is considering some changes to recycling acceptance list rules. 

Both rulemakings are supported by Rulemaking Advisory Committees. Opportunities for public involvement are provided during all meetings of the Committees and again once rules are drafted. 

Contact

For more information, contact David Allaway, 503-229-5479.