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Waste Management to pilot curbside textile collection in Troutdale with Goodwill partnership
Summary
Waste Management and Goodwill will run a free curbside textile collection pilot beginning April 24 in Troutdale and the city’s revised franchise contract adds quarterly reporting, transfer‑station events and new spill reporting to give the city more oversight.
Waste Management representatives briefed the Troutdale City Council on March 11 about the company’s updated franchise agreement, new reporting requirements, and a one‑year pilot to collect curbside textiles in partnership with Goodwill.
The city’s environmental specialist, Ryan Largura, summarized changes in the franchise agreement adopted last year and said the new terms include quarterly customer‑service reports to the city, annual spill reporting from collection trucks, and the option for twice‑yearly transfer‑station events where residents may dispose of bulky waste at a county transfer station. Largura also warned that regional system fees and Metro tipping‑fee changes are likely to create pressure for a service‑rate review later in 2025.
Waste Management’s operations lead, David Huber, described a free, curbside textile collection pilot that will allow residents to place up to 10 securely closed bags (35‑gallon max) of clothing, linens and torn textiles by their curb on designated collection days. Goodwill will partner to sort reusable materials; Waste Management said the remainder will be mechanically processed as fiber‑to‑fiber feedstock where practical rather than landfilled. The first curbside pickup is scheduled for Thursday, April 24, with three more collections planned (June, September, January 2026).
Why it matters
If successful, the curbside textile pilot could reduce the 17 million tons of textiles nationally that go to landfills annually and offer a low‑barrier diversion option for Troutdale residents. The new franchise reporting will also give the city better data on complaints, spills and contractor responsiveness.
Questions from council
Council members asked how often carts and street buffers get swept (maintenance concern), whether new locking carts to reduce wind‑blown debris will be offered and how the program will be paid for. City and Waste Management staff said new cart models would likely require a rate‑review decision because the company would not provide them for free; Largura said he expects the city to return with a rate review request later in spring 2025 if Metro system fees increase.
Pilot logistics and outreach
Waste Management said it will send postcards and invoice messages, coordinate social media outreach with the city and rely on Goodwill to sort reusable donations. Collection dates will correspond with seasonal needs (back‑to‑school, post‑holiday) and the company expects to advertise the April 24 pickup as part of Earth Month outreach.
No formal council action was required or taken during the March 11 presentation.
Ending
The city will monitor the pilot and the new franchise reporting; councilors asked staff to include cart‑locking options and gross monthly revenue figures in future briefings to inform any rate review.
