Landfills & Dumps in Oregon

Oregon's solid waste management is regulated under OAR 340, divisions 93 through 97, which prescribe requirements for storage, collection, transportation, treatment, and disposal of solid waste. No person may establish, operate, maintain, or substantially alter a disposal site without obtaining a permit from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Municipal solid waste landfills must comply with OAR 340 division 94, while industrial, construction and demolition, and wood waste landfills follow division 95 requirements.

Oregon has set ambitious recycling goals, with the statewide recovery rate rising to 55 percent for 2025 and subsequent years. Material-specific recovery rates include carpet waste at 25 percent by 2025. The state's BottleDrop program covers beverages with a 10-cent deposit, allowing returns at BottleDrop centers or participating retailers for refund on beer, soda, water, and other beverage containers. This program significantly reduces container waste entering landfills.

In the Portland metropolitan area, Metro operates transfer stations and coordinates disposal across three counties. Self-haul customers can use multiple facilities with fees based on weight. DEQ issues solid waste disposal site permits, waste tire carrier permits, waste tire storage site permits, and beneficial use determinations through the Your DEQ Online system. Recent regulatory updates include DEQ 14-2025 and DEQ 27-2025 amendments filed in 2025.

Several materials are banned from Oregon landfills, including yard debris, certain recyclables, and electronics. Most facilities maintain separate areas for these materials. Appliances with refrigerants and mattresses require special handling. Municipal solid waste landfills are defined as facilities where household waste is placed, and may also receive commercial solid waste, nonhazardous sludge, and industrial solid waste. Small MSW landfills have design capacity under 2.5 million megagrams or 2.5 million cubic meters.

Rural communities operate transfer stations or small landfills, though remote areas may have limited collection schedules and higher costs due to distance. DEQ provides a Solid Waste Disposal Site Permit Application User Guide for landfills with information on new permits, renewals, amendments, and terminations. Before visiting any facility, check with your county or DEQ for accepted materials, current fees, and operating hours.