Portlanders can finally stop side-eyeing those empty pizza boxes next to the trash. The city has expanded what can go into the blue recycling cart: empty pizza boxes where a little grease is OK, plastic bottles with screw-on caps and fully empty aerosol cans are now accepted, while shredded paper has been bumped from curbside collection. The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability rolled out the changes last Monday as Oregon modernizes its recycling system, saying the update is meant to recover more materials and cut down on contamination that jams sorting machines and puts workers at risk.
What changed for Portlanders
According to Portland's Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, empty pizza boxes can go in the blue bin as long as they are cleared of food and loose liners. A small amount of grease is fine, but boxes that are cheesy or covered in sauce still belong in compost or the trash. The city also now says screw-on plastic caps can stay on plastic bottles and jars when you recycle them. Caps attached to paper cartons, however, are still not recyclable. Aerosol cans can go in too, but only when they are completely empty and dry.
What still belongs in the trash
Not everything that arrives with your takeout feast gets a second life. Axios points out that plastic pizza tables, grated-cheese packets and single-serve condiment sachets should still head straight for the trash. Frozen pizza boxes and greasy liners are also considered contaminants that sorting facilities cannot process.
Worker safety and sorting limits
Portland’s recycling guide warns that partially full aerosol cans can explode when crushed and injure workers, which is why residents must depress the valve until nothing comes out before tossing them in the cart. The guide also says shredded paper should not go in curbside recycling, because it turns into confetti during sorting, and plastics must be at least two inches by two inches in order to make it through the machinery. Clean aluminum foil should be crumpled into a ball about the size of a baseball. Those limits are meant to keep equipment running smoothly and preserve the quality of recyclables for buyers.
Why the rules are changing
The new rules line up with a statewide push under Oregon’s Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act to standardize curbside lists and pay for new recycling infrastructure across the state. As OPB explains, producer-funded programs are covering the cost of new drop-off centers and upgrades to material-recovery facilities so more items can be recovered over time. New sorting technology, including AI-assisted systems, should help pick out contaminants and salvage more material, Axios reports.
How to check before you toss
If you are staring down a confusing container and are not sure where it belongs, local tools can walk you through it. You can play the Recycle or Not game or look up tricky items at RecycleOrNot.org. For statewide guidance and details on the rollout of new drop-off centers, head to RecycleOn. For questions specific to city pickup, including battery or hazardous-waste drop-offs, Portland’s garbage and recycling hotline lists pickup rules and local drop-off options. You can also email [email protected] or call 503-823-7202.
