Coos Bay committee hears plan to implement Oregon Recycling Modernization Act; full rollout likely years away

The Coos Bay Livability Committee heard a detailed briefing on implementing the Oregon Recycling Modernization Act at a committee meeting, where Waste Connections explained new curbside rules, funding mechanics and a phased rollout that officials said will take years to complete.

Luke Pike, district manager with Waste Connections, told the committee the statewide overhaul will change what can be placed in curbside recycling, who pays for collection infrastructure and how material is processed. “This is gonna start July first of 2025,” Pike said, “but this is gonna be years into the making.”

The act centralizes recycling policy across Oregon so all municipalities and haulers follow the same rules, Pike said. Key operational changes described for Coos Bay include switching most households from the existing small 18-gallon bin to a single 96-gallon roll cart collected every other week, accepting additional material types curbside (including plastics labeled 1, 2 and 5, small metals under about 10 pounds, plastic tubs and some cartons)…