On Oct. 15, a city ordinance banning plastic bags in Portland took effect. Sixteen days later, Portland launched its curbside compost collection program.
The Plastic Bag Ban ordinance requires that all large grocery stores (e.g., Safeway and Fred Meyer) and large retailers with pharmacies no longer distribute single-use plastic bags to their customers. The reception to this limitation has polarized grocery store patrons across the city.
“It’s unfair,” said Gwendolyn Brown, a regular customer at the Lloyd Center Safeway. “These new paper bags don’t even have handles, how am I supposed to carry my groceries home?”
“I’m glad to see them go,” said Kari Wright while loading her groceries into a Powell’s reusable bag at the Safeway on Southwest 11th Avenue and Jefferson Street.
“The city of Portland is finally practicing what it preaches—plastic bags are destroying our environment,” she added.
The new anti-plastic bag legislation is also promoting the use of reusable grocery bags, even providing free reusable bags to eligible low-income residents and seniors.
“The policy is a pragmatic approach to a real and seemingly insurmountable problem,” said Mayor Sam Adams in a letter addressed to Portlanders posted on his office’s website. “Portlanders are prepared to lead the way in Oregon.”
On Oct. 15, 2012, Susan Anderson, director of the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, will return to the city council and issue a report on the progression of the ban and will be making recommendations for possible expansion of the program.
In a similar fashion, the new curbside compost-collection program, which launched on Oct. 31, has had mixed reviews from Portlandparticipants. The BPS had to bolster their customer service staff due to a spike in phone calls.
“This is a big deal for our customers,” said Bruce Walker,the solid waste and recycling program manager for the BPS. “We’re still having 700-plus calls per week coming in, something that we want to make sure we’re geared up for.”
The new curbside compost collection program currently services 145,000 households, picking up their compost every week.
“How can I get along without my weekly garbage collection?” is the most common question Walker’s staff fields. “I think many of the callers that were not happy with that aspect of the program will profess that they will at least try out composting,” Walker said.
If you have any questions regarding the new composting program, Walker encourages you to call 503-823-7202 or visit portlandcomposts.com.