Experts say Portland food slop compost flap will die down quickly
At least, that's the message of this story in today's O:
Bruce Heiberg, a hauler who collected food scraps in Northeast Portland's Roseway neighborhood, said only 26 of 500 customers -- or 5 percent -- went to bigger cans. "I anticipated quite a few customers would switch, and it didn't materialize," he said....[Jerry] Powell [editor] of Resource Recycling [a local magazine] said he's bracing for an uproar after the new rules take effect as people adjust. That happens every time Portland revamps its collection system, he said, recalling when haulers started requiring people to pull their cans to the curb. But he doesn’t expect the ruckus to last. "I bet you by December it's gone," he said.
| Posted at 9:45 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (18)
When we had a diverse system of jobbers picking up refuse, you could keep your can hidden in the back and not handle garbage once a week.
Once the city took over a centralized system, they off-loaded work onto the homeowner. Some people now leave garbage cans in front of the house permanently. Very unsightly.
Posted by Mike in NE | September 13, 2011 10:00 AM
By December the rats will be so well fed maybe the homeowners can get them to haul the cans to the curb!
Posted by portland native | September 13, 2011 10:13 AM
The yard debris cans are quite large. We only really use ours about half the year, so it will be strange to put out these large cans every week during the winter with a relatively small pile of food scraps at the bottom.
Posted by Snards | September 13, 2011 10:29 AM
Social engineering at its finest from the COP. If you don't play by the rules the progressives want, they'll bleed your wallet until you move to Washington County/Vancouver/anywhere but here.
Posted by NEPguy | September 13, 2011 10:58 AM
I'd like to know why it seems to be a given that Portland households throw away so much food there will be a considerable decrease in our garbage contents. Doesn't anyone know how to utilize left-overs anymore? Stir-fry, soup??
I was raised in an environment where wasting food was a (pardon me) "sin." To this day my family has always very reluctantly thrown food away. Except for the occasional bones, fat, skin or moldy bread (vegetable peels, etc. get composted), there's never been much food waste. Yet we still have a full 33 gallon can weekly.
I welcome the weekly yard debris collection since we maintain our own yard and can easily generate the debris. But now the garbage issue will force us to buy a larger receptacle, and pay a higher fee. Not to mention reducing space in the garage.
Posted by PDXLifer | September 13, 2011 11:22 AM
Our commercial tenants include a small deli. They tried composting and the rats chewed through the plastic container in less than a week.
Plague anyone?
Posted by portland native | September 13, 2011 11:33 AM
Does every second week pickup mean they are cutting garbage rates in half?
Perhaps it is time to forbid the government restricting competition to protect favored (campaign donning) vendors.
Thanks
JK
Posted by jim karlock | September 13, 2011 12:51 PM
How many of the 500 customers already had the largest can offered? How many requested the larger size before the trial period started?
Posted by Michael | September 13, 2011 1:19 PM
"Does every second week pickup mean they are cutting garbage rates in half?"
Ha ha ha. No, rates are going up for this privilege.
Posted by Snards | September 13, 2011 1:43 PM
'chewed threw the plastic container in a week' - wow , we finally have a use for all those annoying yappy lil dogs ,
rat-catchers...
Posted by billb | September 13, 2011 2:53 PM
Job security for vector control employees!
Check out the County's FAQ on how to deal with rats: http://web.multco.us/health/rats
Very interesting reading!
Posted by NW Portlander | September 13, 2011 4:26 PM
While all Portlanders should read the rat FAQ online (above) or whatever rat FAQ the city distributes to homeowners and garbage mavens within the city limits, this bit may give pause:
What should I do with a dead rat?
Triple bag the rat and contact garbage hauler for retrieval instructions. Clean area with a 10 percent bleach water solution and wash hands after handling rat, even if you wore gloves.
Will there be special rat pickup or will you have to hang onto the rat for two weeks?
Posted by NW Portlander | September 13, 2011 4:49 PM
Has anyone seen any CoP literature or Oregonian article that makes clear the fact that for those who wish to retain weekly garbage service your garbage fee will DOUBLE?
Posted by f. jones | September 13, 2011 5:24 PM
Wait a minute!....Do I smell a rat (or rats) at city hall!?
Posted by portland native | September 13, 2011 7:01 PM
Multco could use some proofreading on their rat page:
Keep items at least 2 feet from walls when storing them inside the home.
Ya' mean like the bed, dresser, desk, TV, couch....
Posted by Old Zeb | September 13, 2011 7:30 PM
Reappearing Hole in the Yard. I wonder what the word "must" would cost to the homeowner that follows directions on the Rat page. http://web.multco.us/health/rats
PS: Keep those toilet seats down!
"A smooth-looking hole in your yard that reappears when filled could indicate a break in the sewer line and a rat problem. Call the City of Portland Maintenance Bureaucrat (503) 823-1700 to determine if there is a break. If the line is broken it must be repaired because if the line is not fixed, rats will be a continuous problem."
Posted by dhughes609 | September 14, 2011 10:48 AM
Quite the story here, from the City of Roses to the City that Works (works us over)
down to (on the ground and too many in our hall) the City of Rats!
Posted by clinamen | September 14, 2011 10:57 AM
By December I'll just haul my can of food scraps to city hall and leave on on their steps...
Posted by tankfixer | September 14, 2011 1:13 PM