Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act

Mar 15, 2024 | News, Recent

For too long the manufacturers of plastics have evaded their responsibility for the piles of discarded plastics that plague the world in so many ways. But that era is coming to an end soon.

Back in 2021, Oregon’s legislature passed Senate Bill 582, the Recycling Modernization Act. It created a method to implement Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for the recyclability of packaging materials sold in Oregon. At that time, Oregon was only one of two states to enact a law of this kind, with Maine having been the first. 

The Act directed the DEQ to establish a Recycling System Advisory Council, comprised of representatives from local governments, community-based organizations representing historically underserved groups, small businesses, the recycling industry, processors or material end users, and producers of the products specified in the act. The Council has been hard at work writing the rules that will make this Act a reality. The Council is responsible for the initial development and implementation phase of the Act and will remain in place in perpetuity. 

To fund this new state-wide system, producers of items covered by this new law will pay an annual fee to join a Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) no later than July 1, 2025.  The PRO will ensure that these producers:

  1. Sell in our state only material specified in the act that can be recycled responsibly and transparently.
  2. Fund a commodity risk fee to make money available to recycling processing facilities to stabilize the cost of recycling.
  3. Develop resources for residents to properly prepare materials for recycling.

Here are a few answers to common questions about the new law:

What does this mean for the citizens of Oregon?
One key objective of this Act is to provide seamless recycling programs across the entire state of Oregon for most types of packaging and food service ware, with a focus on plastics.  If you can recycle an item in the Portland Metro Area, it will also be recyclable in every other community of Oregon as well, although the method by which a specific item is collected for recycling may differ.  

What is on the new, expanded statewide list of recyclables?
The Uniform Statewide Collection List (USCL) has grown from what materials had been recyclable prior to this law.  The current list as of January 2024 is available online and linked here. 

Here are a few materials that are new to the list:

  • Paper or plastic plates
  • Styrofoam Clamshells intended for single use, such as take-out containers
  • Tissue paper (packaging, not facial or sanitary)
  • Paperback books (hardback books are excluded)
  • Polyethylene film
  • Blocks of white expanded polystyrene

By July 1, 2025, the items on the USCL will be collected statewide for recycling.

I live in a multi-family community.  How does this law increase my access to recycling?
The implementation of this law in multi-family communities begins with a needs assessment by Oregon DEQ, which is due in September of 2024, followed by a two-year period of planning and technical assistance.  The new requirements for multifamily housing will take effect on July 1, 2026.  In addition the law will require DEQ to complete a new needs assessment every 4 years to ensure effective and equitable opportunities for their tenants or condo owners to recycle moving forward.

Will my garbage and recycling rates increase because of this new law?
The short answer is no.  The intent of the law is for the producers of the packaging, printed paper, and food service ware to pay for improvements to the current recycling infrastructure.  Research performed across Canada between markets with and without EPR rules found no correlation between product pricing and the presence of EPR requirements.

How can I learn more about this law?
The Oregon DEQ website has a page specifically regarding the implementation of the Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act with lots of information including short videos and a monthly newsletter. The link is provided below, along with several others on this topic.

USEFUL LINKS:

Department of Environmental Quality : Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act : Recycling : State of Oregon

Department of Environmental Quality : Oregon Recycling System Advisory Council : Recycling : State of Oregon

recRMAImpTimeline.pdf (oregon.gov)

rscRRSconsumer.pdf (oregon.gov)

Electrifying your Life is Climate Action

Jul 29, 2023 | Electrify LO, Home Page, News

Over the last year, the LOSN “Electrify LO” campaign has promoted the importance of moving away from fossil fuels toward electrification of vehicles and homes as among the most important ways we can reduce our carbon footprint and address the climate crisis. Now we can dive into when and how to electrify with information on financial incentives for home electrification and electric vehicles, how to choose a contractor for heat pumps for space conditioning, and how to try out an induction cooktop.

What Incentives Are Available Now? What Other Incentives Are Coming?

On January 1, 2023, new tax credits became available for many home electrification and energy efficiency projects including weatherization, heat pump water heaters, heat pumps for space heating and cooling, electrical panel upgrades, rooftop solar and home battery storage systems.

Later this year (or early 2024) additional upfront discounts (also called rebates) will become available for these improvements for lower-income and some middle-income families. The discounts, which can be combined with the tax credits, can be additionally used for induction and electric stoves, new wiring, and heat pump clothes dryers.

One more discount, available at all income levels, is called a whole home energy reduction rebate and it rewards homeowners for overall energy use reductions.

READ MORE ….

Electrify LO home

Backyard Habitat Certification Story

Jun 18, 2023 | Natural Resources - Testimonials

Submitted by Monica Delzeit

Rachel Carson saw it coming 60 years ago. As a medical professional, I see our number one public health concern as the climate crisis. No other public health concern will affect us all. After retiring, I felt that I could add to my love of gardening and include all the portions of the Backyard Habitat Certification Program. Despite my orthopedic issues, I’ve been able to introduce and maintain all five pillars of this program, without much outside help:

monica's yard
  1. Native plants and trees house and feed native insects, birds and mammals that co-evolved with them over geologic time. Co-evolving means that just the right color, sugar composition, height, etc. attracts hundreds of species instead of just the handful that seek out non-native plants and trees.
  2. Noxious weeds have no native predators to keep their growth and spread controlled. In this way, they reduce the biodiversity of native plants and, in turn, the native insects, birds and mammals that rely on these native plants for housing and forage. I want to see more of our charismatic fauna, not less.
  3. Pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers are primarily made in a lab and get into the ground water and bodies of water, adversely affecting native water life and us. Native plants and trees don’t require these chemicals. Our natural environment is all they need.
  4. Stormwater washing over our roofs, driveways, sidewalks and roadways picks up pollutants like your neighbors pesticides, herbicides, motor oil and gasoline, metals and other chemicals. This contaminated water drains into our beautiful rivers and streams, endangering water quality and wildlife. The Backyard Habitat certification program encourages nine possible management actions.
  5. The newest piece to me is wildlife stewardship. This can include keeping cats indoors; keeping a water feature clean for birds, insects and amphibians; nurturing mason bees; putting in a pollinator meadow (if you have a large enough property); leaving leaves, snags and nurse logs; and reducing outdoor lighting during bird migration, among other efforts.

I so enjoyed the sense of community and common sensibilities this program created that I became a certification volunteer in 2021. I’m heartened by the commitment of so many new friends to stewarding out beautiful temperate rain forest in Lake Oswego, and beyond. It gives me hope.

leave the leaves sign

The Humble Habitat Re-Wilding Project

Jun 17, 2023 | Natural Resources - Testimonials

Submitted by Mark & Leah Puhlman

We’ve always loved a project.  When we moved to the Portland Metro area, our housing search brought us to a bank-owned rancher style home on half an acre in Lake Oswego. As you can see from the pictures, we had our work cut out for us.

We quickly learned that transforming a neglected, blackberry and ivy infested half acre is a marathon, not a sprint. We started slow and are still working toward our vision 11 years later.

When we purchased the property there were some rhododendrons and azaleas, a couple of Douglas fir trees—and we were thrilled to find a flourishing Madrone. And lawn. So much lawn. Most of the three sides of the property was lined with six-foot high, 12-foot wide hedges of Himalayan blackberry hedges.

Front Yard 2011

Front Yard 2023

Back Yard 2011

Back Yard 2023

Together, we set out to transform the property into something that was sustainable, friendly to both insect and animal life, and beautiful. Our goals included:

  1. Low maintenance
  2. Areas for outdoor relaxation
  3. A vegetable garden
  4. Plants and features that supported pollinators and birds
  5. Decreased lawn.
Battling Blackberries

Our first task was to rid the property of invasive plant life. The most prevalent species was the Himalayan blackberry but there was also ample English ivy and Creeping buttercup to remove as well. As you can see from the pictures, sometimes the blackberry won and sometimes we won.

Removing most of the blackberries took three years. However, the removal of invasives is never a one-and-done assignment. After eleven years, we’re still pulling out blackberry and ivy found under bushes and in planting areas.

When we retired Leah became a Master Gardener and Mark joined the Lake Oswego Sustainability Network and the Lake Oswego Sustainability Advisory Board. Many of the plants we chose in the first few years were just what was available at local nurseries and big box stores. When we started going for Backyard Habitat certification, we learned so much and found great resources for native plants. We’re still removing our unfortunate choices and replacing them with keystone native plants whenever possible.

Trees are a central element of the garden. Collaborative decision-making regarding tree selection was vital to matrimonial harmony as well as ecologically appropriate decisions. We’ve removed an invasive Norway maple that we planted early on and have replaced a dying, non-native birch tree with a Bigleaf maple – a keystone plant that supports a vast array of pollinators. Up next is removing a Bradford pear, another invasive species, with native Bitter Cherry, Prunus emarginata, another keystone tree.

We continually learn more and as we do, change our decisions and behaviors. The lawn has shrunk to a fraction of its previous size and provides a pathway through the garden and a racecourse for the dogs.  We’ve added a large water feature, routed two downspouts into bioswales, and installed a rain garden in the back yard. As we fill in the bare spots with easy care, drought-tolerant natives, the landscape is becoming less work, uses less water, and provides pleasant habitat for humans and creatures alike.

We have gold certification from Lake Oswego’s EcoHome LO program. We have Silver certification from the Backyard Habitat program and should receive platinum status upon recertification.  We have a National Wildlife Federation certified habitat garden and are registered in The Home-Grown National Park movement  as described in the Douglas Tallamy book “Nature’s Best Hope.” Leah used this book as a guide for her recent Gardening with Wildlife webinar for the Master Gardener program. Every plant purchased these days gets weighed on the scale of the wildlife it will support.

Our “Humble Habitat” garden is a work in progress. We’re learning that each yard can be a powerful tool to protect biodiversity for our rapidly dwindling wildlife. There is no better feeling than to walk out in a yard that is teeming with life, bringing joy to the observer, and restoring a natural balance to our small piece of the world.

Students on Sustainability

May 14, 2023 | Schools

Why Did You Take the Sustainability Class?

LOSN recently asked students from the Sustainability elective class at Lakeridge High School why they chose this elective. Here are their responses.

I took sustainability because I think the strategies used to establish sustainable solutions should be accessible to the younger generations, because we are the ones saddled with the impacts of climate change the most. – Lindsey G.

I took sustainability because I wanted to understand more about the Earth and how we can help reverse climate change. I also wanted to be able to use the sustainable practices that I have learned in class in my life. –  Zoe B.

I took sustainability because I wanted to learn more about how to be sustainable in my own everyday life. – Marcella S.

I took sustainability because I wanted to educate myself more on the subject and be able to teach others how to be sustainable.
– Kayley O.

Based on Bob Doppelt, "The Power of Sustainable Thinking", Peter Senge et. Al., "The Necessary Revolution"

For more on Sustainability and the Triple-Bottom-Line click here.

I took sustainability because I think we need to look after our planet. I have a lot of anxiety about the future of our planet and find myself feeling very guilty about my own habits. I wanted to do more than give up but the constant torturing of myself for my decision did not seem healthy. – anon

I took Sustainability because I enjoy the environment and I feel that what we learn in this class should be taught to all 🦧

The reason I joined Sustainability is because I’ve always been interested in the environment and nature, additionally I have learned more in this class than any other and I use what I’m taught in sustainability more often in my day-to-day life. –  Nabil B.

I took sustainability because I wanted to learn more about the concept and what is actually going on in the world. I also wanted to learn about what we can do and how we can help our environment. – Emma C.

I took sustainability because I was curious about the impact we have kn the environment – Tai K.

I took sustainability because I think it’s important to have knowledge of the world around us and how to problem solve to cultivate a better future for everyone on the planet. Even if someone is not interested is a sustainability career I still think this class is important for anyone to take just to be better connected with the world around us. –Anna J.

I took sustainability because of the people that are involved, there are many bright people who took this class and to hear people’s ideas about how to help better our planet is awesome to hear. – Sean S. 🦧

I took sustainability because I have always been very concerned about the environment. I have been interested in the topic and researching it for a while and I took this class to hopefully learn more about it which luckily happened! – Kelsey “Big K, Big k” Brown

I took sustainability because it was a subject that has never been taught before and I was interested in learning more. When it comes to sustainability there is always more to learn! – Kate K.

I took Sustainability because I wanted to be more aware of the things going on in the environment. In doing so, I am able to feel more involved with my community. – Luna H.

I took sustainability because it is very important as well as interesting! Sustainable practices are very important to know in both daily life, as well as the future of the entire planet going forward. – Kian C.

I chose to take Sustainability because I have always been interested in my environment, and I wanted to better my school community with sustainable class practices. – Julianna C.

Sustainability flipped my worldview on ecology on its head and got me to really get to know my classmates. For that reason, I think this should be a required class worldwide. – Michael M.

I took sustainability because when I read the course description, I was interested in the class and learning more about the environment. Learning about nature and how to live in it without harming it, is one of the most important things. This class has brought to my attention many impacts we have had on the planet, but also solutions to some of them and ways to move forward in the future. Sustainability is part of our future and is crucial to learn about because it will be needed for the following generations. – Margaux M.

I took sustainability because I love nature! Educating ourselves and others on how we can protect our ecosystems is a crucial step towards healing the planet. – Kat H.

I took sustainability due to the issues that are happening in the world. In this class we learn issues and problems that are going on in the world and how to overcome them. In my mind a lot of what we learn should be implied to the everyday lives of everyone. I like the idea of sustainability because it’s going to be the future of the world and needs to be in place to keep the world going. I also like the teacher who teaches the class Mr. Fox, with his teaching methods and attitudes towards the subject. His role modeling changes and makes me think of my daily decisions. – Ty Cowie

I took sustainability because I’ve always been very concerned with how to reduce my carbon footprint and how to make the world a better place for my kids and grandkids. I think it’s important to know the ways my life will impact the earth. – Mark P.

For more from this class, check out the Public Service Annoucements that students created.