The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will celebrate Earth Day by giving away free compost tomorrow and on Sunday at Sunderland Yard, a recycling facility in NE Portland. The event, running from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, aims to promote sustainability, as per the Portland Government website.
Last year’s event saw heavy traffic, and to manage this, PBOT has introduced a new traffic plan. Visitors are encouraged to be patient, with ample compost available over both days. Traffic on NE Sunderland Avenue will be reduced to a single southbound lane, and visitors must access the yard via the northern intersection of NE Sunderland Avenue and NE 33rd Drive. The southern intersection will be closed to inbound traffic. PBOT will load compost into open-bed vehicles, and those who wish to bag their own compost must bring shovels and bags.
Cyclists will be given priority, allowing them to skip to the front of the line. PBOT processes over 5,000 tons of leaves annually, turning them into compost rather than allowing them to clog storm drains or create road hazards. The free compost program follows guidelines from the United States Compost Council.
Visitors are asked to follow the instructions of traffic flaggers, and participants use the Free Compost Program at their own risk. For more information, individuals can call 503-823-3500.
