Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Program  

HHW Collection Event Queue

What is the Queue?

One of the goals of the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) program is to provide every resident in Oregon access to HHW collection. To achieve that goal, DEQ will continue to hold household hazardous waste collection events around the state. The question is, where and when. DEQ developed a long term system called the DEQ Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event Queue that will be used to determine this. It lists Oregon cities with a population of over 1,000 which currently have no locally sponsored HHW program in their county and no DEQ sponsored HHW service within 20 miles. These cities are ranked according to the date of their last event with cities that have never had events or have had them longer ago at the top.

What is the advantage of the Queue?

A major benefit of this system is that DEQ can put cities on notice about when DEQ will sponsor an event in their city so they will have plenty of time to plan ahead for it. Also, as new permanent facilities are built, DEQ can adjust the Queue and continue to confidently provide service where it is “needed”.

When will DEQ announce which events it will sponsor each year?

No later than January 1 DEQ will announce how many events will be sponsored during the next year and where these events will be. This will be determined by starting at the top of the list and moving down, providing service each year to as many cities as DEQ’s budget allows. Check the statewide HHW collection event schedule to see where these will be.

• Statewide HHW collection events

How often will the Queue be updated?

DEQ will update the queue annually. After DEQ has sponsored an event in a city, it moves to the bottom of the Queue and will have its next event when all of the cities above it on the Queue are serviced. DEQ estimates that it will take approximately 6 to 9 years to cycle through the Queue. This will vary depending upon the cost of events and the amount of money available in DEQ’s budget.

What will DEQ's responsibility be for the collection events?

The Department will:

1. Contract with a company to conduct the collection events (including collection, transportation, recycling, treatment and disposal of the waste). The Department will pay for the cost of the contractor's services and will be responsible for management of the collected waste.
2. Provide information and assistance to communities selected for collection events on how to plan for, advertise and conduct collection events.

What will the local government's responsibility be for the collection events?

All local governments will be expected to:

1. Promote the project at a level acceptable to the Department. Publicity and educational activities for the collection event must be paid for by the local government.
2. Select a site suitable for holding the collection event.
3. Recruit and train volunteers to assist at the collection event (e.g., handing out informational material and directing traffic).
4. Assist with local coordination of the collection event.
5. Provide a summary report to the Department.
6. Coordinate any special waste management activities, such as a useable product giveaway or paint drop off, conducted in association with the collection event.

• DEQ HHW Queue

[print version]