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Portland Composts!
About Portland Composts!
Helping Portland food businesses compost food waste & food soiled paper
How To Do It
Compost information, resources and FAQs for new and participating businesses
Resources and Tools
Posters, fact sheets and more
Portland Composts! Participants
These companies are composting their food waste!
Food Composting Research, Publications
Reports and documents related to the commercial compost program

Portland Composts!

 

Businesses Dig It

 

Portland Composts Green Roll Cart

A partnership of Metro and the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.

Businesses in the City of Portland can contract with waste haulers to collect food waste and food-soiled paper for composting.

 

The City of Portland provides technical assistance, training for your employees, marketing materials and more.

 

How to get started

 

Frequently asked questions

 

Donate food that is still edible: Metro's Fork It Over program http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=9887


Interested in residential composting information?   Visit Metro's website for backyard composting http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=553


Why Should Portland Food Businesses Compost?
How business composting helps the whole community

Who Can Participate?
Portland Composts! is open to any food business

Where Does the Waste Go?
Food from this program goes to Cedar Grove Composting

Metro's Cedar Grove Composting Fact Sheet (PDF Document, 108kb)
Frequently asked questions about the contractor selected for the region's compost program

Cedar Grove Recall Policy (PDF Document, 96kb)
The compost facility's policy on recalled food items

What's Compostable
ALL food and uncoated food soiled paper including waxed cardboard

What's Not Compostable
Do not include these items in your compost

Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to your concerns about smells, fruit flies and more

Fruit fly prevention tips
How to avoid common fruit flies

Composting at an event- FAQs (PDF version) (PDF Document, 277kb)
Download this printable version as a check list

Composting in a Foodservice Operation
Information for restaurants, cafes, caterers and other single unit locations

Composting at an event - FAQs
Things to consider when deciding whether or not to compost at an event

Composting in an office space (PDF version) (PDF Document, 132kb)
A check list to determine if office composting is right for you

Composting in a Foodservice Operation (PDF version) (PDF Document, 219kb)
Information for restaurants, cafes, caterers and other single unit locations

Financial Incentives for businesses
A variety of grants, loans and other financial assistance is available to help offset the costs associated with starting food-scrap collection

Financial incentives for businesses (PDF version) (PDF Document, 229kb)
A variety of grants, loans and other financial assistance is available to help offset the costs associated with starting food-scrap collection

Composting in an office space
A check list to determine if office composting is right for you

Compostable Bags
How to use bags for compost collection and where to purchase them

Finding a Food-Scrap Collection Company
How to get a commercial garbage and recycling company to pick up your food scraps

Finding a waste hauling company (PDF version) (PDF Document, 207kb)
How to get a commercial hauler to pick up your food scraps

Compostable Bags (PDF version) (PDF Document, 270kb)
How to use bags for compost collection and where to purchase them

A Simple Set-Up Guide (PDF Document, 1,666kb)
Taking the first steps in Portland Composts!

Instructional Poster (11"x17"size*) (PDF Document, 460kb)
Hang anywhere your staff works with compostable items (see instructions below to print on smaller-size paper)

Acceptable and Prohibited Materials (PDF Document, 205kb)
What can and can't go in your compost bin

Fruit Fly Prevention Tips (PDF Document, 106kb)
Keep fruit flies out of your compost area

Compostable Bags (PDF Document, 270kb)
What bags should be used and where can I buy them?

Employee orientation
A simple training guide to help staff understand the program

Cedar Grove Recall Policy (PDF Document, 96kb)
The compost facility's policy on recalled food items

BioPlastics Fact Sheet (PDF Document, 428kb)
Read the facts here about bioplastics in the Portland Composts! program

Approved compostable serviceware
A list of cups, containers and utensils that can be collected with food scraps for composting
http://cedar-grove.com/SPU.asp

Cedar Grove compostable product testing
Information for testing of compostable serviceware items (for manufacturers)
http://www.cedar-grove.com/services/compost.asp

Portland Composts! Participants: Port of Portland
Participating Businesses at Portland International Airport

Portland Composts! Participant List (PDF version) (PDF Document, 120kb)
See which businesses are composting in Portland

Fall 2007 newsletter (PDF Document, 48kb)

Spring 2008 newsletter (PDF Document, 79kb)

Summer 2008 newsletter (PDF Document, 88kb)
PDF Information
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