Tri‑County hazardous‑waste program reports 170,000 pounds collected in 2024; seeks local steering‑committee appointment

Kelly Housley Glover, program director for Tri‑County Household Hazardous Waste and Recycling, and Christina Feibig, solid waste coordinator, gave an update on the regional program that serves Hood River, Wasco and Sherman counties.

Housley Glover said the program collects hazardous waste from households, businesses and agricultural producers at scheduled events between April and November. She told the council the program collected nearly 170,000 pounds of hazardous waste in 2024, mostly fuels and petroleum distillates; paint recycling was the program's second-largest volume. The program also takes e‑waste at rural events and provides subsidized disposal options for appliances containing Freon and for sharps.

Housley Glover described a triple‑wash agricultural container collection held with Oregon Department of Agriculture support and a private partner, Agroplast. The program set a minimum goal of 1,000 containers and received more than 3,000 containers from 12 producers. She said Agroplast breaks down and reuses agricultural plastics.

Housley Glover also briefed the council on SB 582 — the Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) — which the presenters described as statewide legislation that will expand the items collected through recycling and set up producer responsibility funding (EPR/producers' fees) to help implement the program. The presenters said rollout will be phased; parts of the state tied to the I‑5 corridor are expected earlier and parts of Wasco County could fall into a later phase (the presenters cited possible 2027–2029 timelines). Housley Glover said the program is pausing a management‑plan update until the RMA details are clearer and asked the council to appoint a liaison to the steering committee; Councilor Randall volunteered and was thanked.

Ending: The council thanked the speakers and accepted the update; no formal council action beyond appointing a liaison was required.