Tour and Session Descriptions

TOURS

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR TOURS

Tours are open to AOR Members ONLY.
Tours will pick-up and drop-off from the Oregon Convention Center unless otherwise specified.
Tour pricing includes transportation and lunch.
Tours are limited to 20 guests per tour.
If a tour is sold out, and you would like to be added to the waitlist, please contact Amy Roth.

Tour #1: Reuse in Action

Anticipated departure/return times: 9am/4pm

This tour starts at the Moda Center, and explores their sustainability efforts, including their reusable cup partnership with Bold Reuse. The 2nd stop takes us to Bold Reuse to see their wash facility in action. Our third stops takes us to Community Warehouse where we will learn how community donations not only support local families in need, but puts reuse at the forefront of their business model. We'll stop for lunch at the Bye & Bye Cafe for lunch before heading to the PDX Airport to get a behind the scenes tour of the lastest sustainability improvements

Tour #2: The Hierarchy Tour

Anticipated departure/return times: 8:30am/4pm

This tour departs from the Oregon Convention Center and takes us out to North Plains to Recology Organics facility. This tour will showcase the importance of composting and keeping our successful system "food only". Stop 2 takes us to Far West Recycling's Hillsboro MRF for a look at recycling sortation in action. Next, we'll head to New Season's Market for a behind the scenes look at the local chain's sustainability efforts including their packaging reuse and customer recycling programs. We'll grab lunch onsite from New Season's plethora of options, and then head back into Portland to the ReBuilding Center and learn more about their educational program offerings and how building materials reuse supports our regions climate and equity goals.

Tour #3: EPR Programs in Practice

Anticipated departure/return times: 7:00am/3:30pm

This tour departs from the Oregon Convention Center and takes us out to Universal Recycling Technologies' Clackamas Recycling facility. We'll learn how electronics collected through the Oregon E-Cycles are recycled, and how the upcoming changes to the EPR law will impact collections. Next, we will head to the PDX Airport to get a behind the scenes tour of the lastest sustainability improvements. We will then go to Pioneer Wiping Cloth to learn more about textiles waste collections and recycling before heading to Metro Paint for lunch and a look at paint recycling activities and hear more about PaintCare, Oregon's EPR program for old paint.

Tour #4: Equity in Waste, Equity in Practice

Anticipated departure/return times: 8:30am/4pm

This tour departs from the Oregon Convention Center and takes us over to Free Geek in SE Portland. We'll learn about their recycling & reuse efforts, and how they are building digital equity in the community. We will then visit the People's Depot, a redemption center operated by canners, for canners—people who collect cans and bottles for income. The People’s Depot generates formal, benefitted jobs for workers with a background in informal can and bottle collection, serves hundreds of canners a week in the Central Eastside, and prevents the emission of hundreds of tonnes of CO2 equivalent a year. The tour will then cross the river to visit Ground Score, an association of informal recyclers, waste pickers, canners, dumpster divers, and other environmental workers who create and fill low-barrier waste management jobs in Portland, Oregon. We'll grab lunch at the Nob Hill Food Carts before heading over to Metro Central Transfer Station. The tour will make it's final stop at the PDX Airport to get a behind the scenes tour of the lastest sustainability improvements.

SESSION DESCRIPTIONS

OPENING PLENARY: What's in the Mix? The Role that Waste & Recycling Composition Data Play in the Rollout of the Recycling Modernization Act (RMA)

Tuesday, 6/18, 9:00am - 10:15am

Peter Spendelow from Oregon DEQ wrapped up work on three separate waste and recycling composition studies in late 2023/early 2024 - a waste disposal study, an inbound commingled recycling study, and an outbound commodity and residue study at MRFs. The results of these studies will provide us with keen insights into how our recycling system is working in Oregon, and will be vitally important to the development of many of the main features of the Recycling Modernization Act as it rolls out over the next couple of years.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Western Oregon Regional Sustainable Materials Management Plan: Collaboration and Co-Investment in the Development of Shared Solutions

Tuesday, 6/18, 10:45am - 11:45am

The Western Oregon Regional Sustainable Materials Management Plan is an effort spearheaded by Benton County to provide Western Oregon with an action-oriented plan to significantly reduce negative and maximize positive environmental, health, social, and economic impacts of materials; explore innovative opportunities across the complete life cycle of materials to address current and future regional needs; and provide a plan that leverages regional approaches and outcomes through extensive collaborative engagement across the life cycle of materials. Sharing the stage, partners from throughout Western Oregon will provide attendees a look into the work to-date and how this regional effort will complement the implantation of the State’s Recycling Modernization Act.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Human-Centered Approach to Illegal Dumping in the Portland and Eugene Communities

Tuesday, 6/18, 10:45am - 11:45am

This session will highlight government and nonprofit approaches to responding to and preventing illegal dumping in the Portland Metro and Eugene communities. Speakers will share examples of centering community and lived experiences when developing and implementing programs. Hear from front-line workers about their experiences, challenges, and successes working in illegal dumping. Learn about unique challenges and strategies to serve different settings including commercial areas, multi-family housing, student housing, and the unhoused community.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Legislative Update

Tuesday, 6/18, 12:45pm - 1:45pm

Join AOR's Legislative Chair for a look back at the 2024 legislative short session, and what we may anticipate for the coming 2025 long session.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Abandoned Boats, RVs, and Asbestos – Oh My!: A Look Into Illegal Dumping of Particularly Challenging Materials Across Rural and Urban Oregon Communities

Tuesday, 6/18, 12:45pm - 1:45pm

This session will highlight government approaches and challenges when responding to abandoned boats, RVs, and other particularly challenging materials. We'll share examples from across Oregon to reveal similarities and differences in experience. Hear from front-line workers about their successes, challenges, and suggestions for the future of systems addressing cleanup of particularly hazardous, expensive, and logistically challenging materials.

CONCURRENT SESSION: Compostable Packaging: Impacts on Materials Management Systems

Tuesday, 6/18, 2:15pm - 3:15pm

California's SB 54 and the push for all packaging to be compostable, recyclable, or reusable presents potential risks for Oregon’s food-only composting efforts. This session will dive into SB54, why Oregon continues to favor a food-only approach, and the risks compostable packaging poses to the environment and soil health.

CONCURRENT SESSION: What's Next for EPR in OR: Focus on Batteries and Electronics