Waste stream rides housing wave.

Byline: Susan Palmer The Register-Guard

Lane County generated more garbage last year but also recycled more, according to an annual report by the Department of Environmental Quality.

In 2005, Oregonians piled up a record 5.5 million tons of trash, the total amount of material that either went into landfills or was recycled. That's 6 percent more than the 2004 total, and it meant the state failed to reach a goal set by the 2001 Legislature of no per-capita increase in waste generation.

Among the significant items contributing to the cast-off piles: construction, demolition and remodeling debris, DEQ waste prevention specialist David Allaway said.

The red-hot housing market was behind the trend. Rising home prices encouraged remodeling and new construction, with some investors "flipping" houses - buying them, fixing them up with cheap materials, and then selling to buyers who didn't like the new decor, ripped it out and replaced it, he said.

While some construction debris is recyclable, much of it winds up in the landfill, said Scott Bales, co-owner of Royal Refuse in Eugene, one of the local garbage haulers supplying big trash bins used at construction sites.

Royal sorts many materials by hand, separating out wood, metals and cardboard that can be reused.

Of the 1,000 tons a month workers sort, about 26 percent is recycled, Bales said. Among the items that go to the landfill: wall board, insulation, 5-gallon plastic buckets used to hold plaster mud that can't be cleaned well enough for recycling, and asphalt roofing shingles.

The DEQ report shows that in Lane County, residents and businesses discarded 510,000 tons of unwanted stuff, about 7 percent more than in 2004. But the county increased the recycled amount by 13 percent, and exceeded its overall recycling rate goal.

The state gives extra credit to counties that support education programs, home composting and efforts to prevent waste generation. With those additional points, Lane County's recycling rate was 53.7 percent last year, or 8.7 percentage points above its goal of 45 percent trash recycled for 2005.

Lane County was among 24 counties that met or exceeded their waste recovery goals, including Marion, with a 56.2 percent recycling rate and Yamhill with a 50.6 percent rate.

The county benchmarks grew out of 1991 legislation requiring that the state set goals for decreasing waste generation and increasing recycling.

"Garbage is expensive to manage," Allaway said. As it decomposes, it creates greenhouse gases. Plus hazardous liquids can leach out from landfills.

As part of the statewide effort to reduce waste, the DEQ is drawing up a prevention plan to help people decrease the amount of stuff they throw out. A draft should be available by February, Allaway said.

Allaway said the harmful effects of producing goods that are later trashed can be greater than the harm caused by landfilling.

For example, much pollution is generated in the manufacture of cheap furniture, televisions and plastic toys that become obsolete quickly, he said.

"If you look at the energy used to manage garbage and recyclables and look at the energy used to produce the materials, it's tens or hundreds of times greater," he added.

Some things people can do to reduce waste:

Choose more durable goods that won't wear out as quickly.

For home furnishings, buy classic colors and styles that won't need to be replaced when trends change.

Buy used rather than new building materials, clothing and furniture.

Satisfy wants and needs with experiences instead of things, particularly during the holidays, Allaway said.

Gift certificates for concerts or for some shared activity create lasting memories and less garbage, he said.

People interested in the DEQ's draft prevention strategy can e-mail Allaway at [e-mail] to be added to his mailing list.

WHERE DID OUR GARBAGE GO? Here's what happened to the 5.5 million tons of trash Oregonians generated in 2005 Landfill: 54.7 percent Recycled: 29.1 percent Composted: 6.6 percent Recovered for energy: 9.6 percent