Waste Management of Oregon opens ultra-green location

Waste Management of Oregon christened an expansive and ultra-green recycling center that will dramatically increase recycling and reduce landfill waste across Washington County.

The recycling center will accept construction and demolition castoffs that, in the past, have ended up in landfills. It will collect, sort and reclaim these materials – concrete, asphalt, wood, and metals – for use in new ways.

The 65,000-square-foot facility is central to Waste Management’s efforts to help local and regional governments achieve aggressive new sustainability goals.

This process will result in important energy savings and greenhouse gas reductions as more materials are re-purposed.

Waste Management’s new recycling center will also deliver significant energy savings and environmental benefits resulting from its innovative and sustainable features.

Designed and constructed to meet rigorous sustainability standards known as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), the center looks and operates differently than traditional recycling centers.

Most distinctive is the massive translucent roof that allows for natural lighting and reduces energy consumption. The roof includes a system to harvest rainwater and store it for later use on site. There is also a powerful ventilation system that circulates fresh air through the facility every 10 minutes.

The new facility is a $10 million investment for Waste Management. The project involved 100 construction jobs and has resulted in 20 permanent jobs.

The new facility is near Hillsboro, where Waste Management also operates a landfill and manages more than 100 acres of certified wildlife habitat and wetlands. The site is home to 100 bird species and mammals, including great blue heron, deer, beaver, and rabbits.

The landfill is permitted to accept primarily construction and demolition debris. It does not accept household garbage or hazardous waste.

The new recycling center opened for commercial and residential use on July 1.