Oregon Struggles to Meet Recycling Goals

The state's goals to reduce the amount of waste Oregonians generate and increase the amount recovered were not realized in 2016, according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality's 2016 Oregon Material Recovery and Waste Generation Report, released Wednesday.

Last year, Oregon recovered 2,266,556 tons of waste, representing 42.6 percent of all waste generated, a decrease from 46.2 percent recovered in 2015. The state's goal is to reach 52 percent recovery by 2020.

“Recycling and composting conserves resources, saves energy and reduces pollution such as greenhouse gas emissions," said Michelle Shepperd, who has worked on the DEQ report for 25 years. “While preventing waste from happening in the first place is the best way to protect the environment, proper management of materials at the end of their life makes a big difference.”