Business FAQ's
Q: Will recycling at my business cost extra?
A: For most of the areas in Washington County, recycling collection services are included in your regular garbage service; setting up recycling with your hauler will not cost extra. (Applies to regular container service only). Recycling may even lower your disposal costs. Adding recycling containers offers the possibility of decreasing your garbage service to a smaller container or to a less frequent pickup.
In Forest Grove, however, there is a small additional fee to add recycling pickup to your service. Diverting material to recycling and the resulting decrease in service level can more than offset that extra fee. For example, if you are an average office building disposing of mostly paper, containers and packaging material, half of your waste may be recyclable.
Garbage-only service: 3-yard garbage container collected weekly= $218/month
Compared to:
Garbage + Recycling service: 1.5-yard garbage container collected weekly ($121/month) + 1.5 yard recycling container collected weekly ($18.10/month) = $139.10/month
Total savings = $78.90/month
That is real savings for recycling! Many businesses have the potential to decrease their waste and thus their costs – contact the Recycle At Work Program for more information about our free technical assistance services 503-846-8609.
Q: How do I recycle items that my hauler does not accept in the “standard mixed recycling”?
A: The materials included in the mixed recycling program regularly picked up by your hauler include: papers, metal cans and rigid plastic bottles and tubs. To recycle other items such as wood pallets, scrap metal, odd types of plastics, plastic film, 55-gallon barrels, bubble wrap or foam packing, etc., check out Metro’s Find a Recycler, our recycling depot matrix or contact the Washington County’s Recycle at Work Program via email or phone 503-846-8609.
Q: Isn’t all paper nowadays made with recycled material?
A: Producing paper from recycled papers conserves energy, resources and produces less water pollution. Yet more than 90% of the printing and writing paper made in this country today is still made of virgin materials. Furthermore, distributors, printers and paper mills say that recently demand has been dropping because buyers believe they no longer have to ask for recycled content paper.
Q: Aren't paper products made of recycled content more expensive and of less quality? Years ago I used recycled paper and it was greyish, the inked smeared and it cost more than regular paper.
A: In the past, recycled content (RC) paper was obviously made of recycled material – it did not look like conventional paper. These days, however, paper making technology has greatly improved the quality and performance of recycled paper. In 1998, a consortium of copier manufacturers and printers tested the performance of 30% RC paper in printers, copiers, and other office equipment. The verdict: RC paper meets or exceeds the quality standards of virgin paper without complications in office equipment.
Because the quality of paper has improved so much and is virtually indistinguishable from virgin paper, many agencies are adopting purchasing polices specifically for paper of recycled content:
- the federal government requires a minimum 30% recycled post-consumer content in its copy paper through Federal Executive Order 13101
- several Washington State agencies started using 100% post-consumer, chlorine-free process paper in response to a state goal to increase the use of environmentally preferred paper.
- Princeton University use 100% post-consumer paper for their standard office needs. They negotiated with Boise Office Solutions to lower the purchase price and ran blind-tests of recycled paper in several department printers and copy machines to dispel misperceptions that recycled paper is of inferior quality. Read more...
- Citigroup is switching to 30% recycled content copy paper across the nation. Read more...
Today’s recycled copy paper is technically perfected for use in printers and copiers. Paper jams can be caused by other issues such as moisture absorbed by any type of paper, poor quality paper, or the paper is not formulated for the copiers in which they are used. To avoid this, use paper qualified as "high-speed" for high speed copiers. This would be true of virgin or recycled content paper. A machine that is jamming may also need to be cleaned or adjusted.
Recycled paper has caught up with conventional paper in performance and quality. Due to increased demand and refinement of the papermaking process, it is often similar in pricing as well. This is especially true of 30% post-consumer content paper which is standard in many organizations’ purchasing policies.
Q: Is recycled paper available in bright white?
A: Recycled paper is available in a wide range of colors, weights, and styles, including the brightest whites. Newer techniques and the demand for quality paper, have created a market capable of producing the brightest whites. It is recommended, however, that you choose chlorine-free paper when possible. The chlorine bleaching of paper, whether virgin or recycled, is the leading cause of toxic water pollution in the United States.
Learn more about the recycled paper information presented above at the following webpages: Environmental Assessment Tool, Paper Calculator, Conserve-A-Tree, and RecycleWorks.
Q: We have recently updated our office equipment and now have several old computer monitors and other electronics equipment. How do we dispose of these responsibly?
A: Changes in technology may leave businesses with large amounts of obsolete electronic equipment. Fortunately there are several options for reusing and recycling electronic equipment before disposal is necessary. Businesses and other organizations can:
Donate: Schools or nonprofit groups will gladly accept useable equipment. To identify donation sites contact the Recycle at Work program
Resell: Sell equipment to employees, an electronics resale business or post the equipment on-line
Return: Ask if your manufacturer or supplier offers an electronics take-back program
Recycle: Locate nearby recyclers at Metro’s “Find a Recycler” webpage.
Q: Where can our business dispose of fluorescent lamps?
A: Fluorescent lamps contain lead and mercury which are toxic and can cause adverse health effects. Fluorescent bulbs can be managed several ways depending on the business and the quantity generated. DEQ’s Waste Lamps & Ballasts Fact Sheet outlines these rules.
Metro also operates a program for businesses that only produce small quantities of hazardous waste. Learn more about their Conditionally Exempt Generator (CEG) program at 503-234-3000.
There are businesses that will manage your potentially hazardous material for you via pick up or mail in programs. Check Metro’s “Find a Recycler” page for convenient lamp collection services as well as sources to recycle other materials such as lighting ballasts, batteries and electronic waste.
Unsure if your waste may be hazardous or how the state rules may apply? Contact DEQ for free hazardous waste technical assistance at 503-229-5263 or visit DEQ's hazardous waste webpage.