QuickTake:

Lane County expects to get $4.2 million through the state’s new recycling law to help pay for equipment needed to comply with the law. The money comes from companies that produce packaging.

Lane County is preparing for the state’s new recycling law — one intended to create uniformity in the recycling options available for residents in communities that have limited access.

As a first step, Lane County commissioners approved a plan July 8 that will allow the county to collect an estimated $4.2 million to make improvements to its recycling infrastructure. The money comes from producers of packaging materials sold in Oregon, which are required to pay into a fund that fuels recycling efforts.

The change comes from the state’s Recycling Modernization Act, which passed in 2021 but just went into effect July 1. The law standardizes what can be recycled, with the goal of increasing recyclable materials.

But it will take time for counties and communities to make the necessary changes. 

Lane County’s $4.2 million share of the funding comes from the Circular Action Alliance, which represents producers.

“The funding comes from the producers of the materials in order to help with the modernization of those recycling systems,” Jeff Orlandini, the county’s waste management division manager, told commissioners.

The money will help upgrade county depots that collect recyclables and could pay for items such as on-site compactors, forklifts, containers and staff time. That includes upgrades to the county’s Glenwood Transfer Station. 

The Circular Action Alliance essentially acts as a third party that pays local jurisdictions. Orlandini said the county works closely with the group to ensure its projects will qualify for funding.

“We ensure that we’re going to get reimbursed,” he said, “before we spend that money.”

Other jurisdictions in the county also are eligible for funding, including Coburg, Cottage Grove, Creswell, Eugene, Florence, Junction City, Lowell, Springfield and Veneta. In all, jurisdictions in Lane County, including the county and cities, are eligible for the region’s share of up to $13 million.

The county and communities will do marketing and education to residents so they’re familiar with the changes.

Ben Botkin covers politics and policy in Lane County. He has worked as a journalist since 2003, most recently at the Oregon Capital Chronicle, where he covered justice, health and human services and documented regional efforts to combat fentanyl addiction. Botkin has worked in statehouses in Idaho, Nevada, Oklahoma and, of course, Oregon. When he's not working, you'll find him road tripping across the West, hiking or surfing along the Oregon Coast.