Metro Seek Input on Regional Systems Facilities Plan

Metro staff continued robust discussions with Metro Council in May and July to share community and partner input and clarify priorities for the facilities and program investments to include in the draft plan. Council directed staff to prioritize investments that reduce waste to landfill and increase regional capacity to reuse, recycle and compost.

Staff held additional engagements with Metro advisory committees, the community advisory group, local governments, reuse businesses and industry.

Based on these discussions, staff developed a narrowed set of investments including:

• Developing a network of six community drop-off depots for reuse, recycling, hazardous waste disposal, compost and self-haul garbage services.

• Funding for local reuse and repair businesses and building a regional reuse warehouse and a reuse mall.

• Converting Metro Central into a regional hub for food waste and yard debris and investing in local private organics facilities.

• Partnering with private facilities to provide more infrastructure for waste from commercial haulers.

Earlier this year, Metro Council reviewed investment scenarios that ranged between $280-800 million. In July 2024, Metro Council supported a set of investments estimated at $273 million in construction costs (in today's dollars). With this direction, staff have put together a draft Regional System Facilities Plan for review before Metro Council considers it for adoption in December 2024.