PDX Recycling Vendors

WHO TO CALL AND WHEN

In 2004, Free Geek recycled 226 tons of material. We could not have done this without our material handlers who pay us to separate the stuff and actually do the recycling. In order to keep Free Geek from being crushed under the weight of our bad or obsolete donations, a fair amount of phone calls, e-mails, and fork-lifting is required...

Check out the Recycling Status Page

BOB'S METALS

• (503)781-0588
• CONTACT: Bob
• LEAD TIME: 1 business day
• CAPACITY: 40 yard dumpster
• WHAT: Steel.

The dumpster is emptied every Monday A.M. If by Saturday the dumpster is noticeably less than full, call Bob to delay pick up until we fill it. Bob can usually empty and replace the dumpster by open of the next business day.

CALBAG

• http://www.calbag.com
• (503) 226-3441
• (800) 398-3441
• CONTACT: Doug
• LEAD TIME: 1 business day
• CAPACITY: 18 gaylords single stacked minimum
• WHAT: Wire, Motors, Hard Drives (Minus controller boards), Keyboards, CBM, Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Fans, Speakers, Monitors

E-RECYCLING

• (503) 232-2500
• CONTACT: Receptionist
• LEAD TIME: 1-5 business days
• CAPACITY: 8 gaylords (minimum 6 required to send service truck)
• WHAT: Plastic

TOTAL RECLAIM

• http://totalreclaim.com/ (email contact is yvonne@...)
• CONTACT: Yvonne Pascal
• PHONE: (206) 343-7443
• LEAD TIME: 5 business days
• CAPACITY: 28 gaylords double stacked
• WHAT: Monitors.

This is the semi trailer in the parking lot. When confirmation of pick up is received, coordinate with McGuire so that they move their truck from in front of the monitor trailer. The padlock on the trailer (combo 1731) belongs to us and must be removed and placed on the new trailer. Total Reclaim has this combo and the directive to switch it on file, but it is a $25 lock, and we should do the switch to insure we keep it.

TRASHCO

• (503) 232-4084
• CONTACT: Commercial accounts
• LEAD TIME: 1 business day
• CAPACITY: N/A
• WHAT: Paper, Bottles and cans, Trash, Cardboard.

Recycling (paper and bottles or paper and paper) goes to the curb (north parking lot exit) Wednesday night before close to be picked up Thursday A.M. Garbage (South end of building near roll up door) is picked up Thursday. Cardboard is taken to Trashco (kiddie-corner north west of free geek) on the forklift and emptied into the gray bins (to your right) any time the gate (southern) is open on weekdays, usualy between Noon and 4 P.M.ish. The need to call Trashco will be rare.

ReCellular

• WHAT: Cell phones, cell phone batteries, cell phone chargers.
• WHAT NOT: Cordless phones, other phones, non-cell batteries or chargers.
• FIND OUT: Beepers?

METRO RECYCLING

• 600 NE Grand Ave., Portland, OR 97232-2736
• (503) 797-1700
• http://www.metro-region.org/
• CAPACITY: Small bucketloads
• WHAT: Batteries = NON-Recyclable ONLY

Sorted batteries can be taken to Metro for processing, but we need to take it to them. Batteries that came out of the home have free recycling (the state pays for it), and we need to emphasize every time we're there that we are not generating these ourselves, that they are a byproduct of home computer use, that we are an organization that transfers them to Metro. In 1993 the EPA made a change in the formula for Alkaline batteries to lower the amount of metals in them, and then changed their administrative ruling to allow Alkalines to go into a landfill. At the moment, to our knowledge, all Alkalines go into the landfill. Further information on alkaline battery recycling is needed.