Board approves local funding authorization so producer funds go directly to haulers under Recycling Modernization Act

Umatilla County commissioners approved a local funding authorization to allow producer responsibility funds under Oregon's Recycling Modernization Act (RMA) to flow directly to franchise haulers who will implement the program locally.

Bob Walder, community development director, described the county's role in the RMA rollout and said local government must submit a funding authorization to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality so funds collected from producers can be distributed to the franchises that will incur implementation costs. He said county administrative tasks are not eligible for those producer funds and recommended routing funds directly to the haulers rather than the county collecting and redistributing them.

Mike McHenry, chair of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee, and Mike Kenrick of Pendleton/Hermiston haulers explained the funding mechanisms and implementation components: system expansion (purchase of trucks and carts for communities over 4,000 population), transportation reimbursement to move recyclables to market, costs for containers meeting post‑consumer recycled content requirements, and contamination‑reduction efforts. The producer responsibility organization named in the discussion was Circular Action Alliance, which collects fees from packaging producers and distributes implementation funding.

Hauler representatives said curbside commingled recycling will be required within urban growth boundaries for communities over 4,000 (Pendleton, Hermiston, Umatilla, Boardman, Milton‑Freewater) and that actual implementation will depend on equipment lead times; trucks and carts can take 12–18 months to procure, pushing likely full implementation into mid‑2026. The franchises said they intend to offer service countywide rather than limit new service only to properties inside urban growth boundaries, to avoid creating differing rate structures for adjacent customers.

Commissioners moved and seconded a motion to approve the local funding authorization; the board approved the authorization by voice vote. Staff and franchise haulers said they will return to the Solid Waste Advisory Committee and the board this spring with proposed rates and implementation details.