Skip to main content

Oregon State Flag An official website of the State of Oregon »

Oregon.gov Homepage

Recycling Obligations and Programs

Recycling obligations

DEQ assigns each manufacturer a return share (percentage) and return share by weight by May 1 each year. Recycling programs are responsible for recycling the total return share by weight of their participating manufacturers each year.

The collections determination is used to calculate the minimum recycling obligation for each participating electronics manufacturer for 2025. For more information on how DEQ determines recycling obligations:

Please note that 2025 is the last year of the current E-Cycles Program. On Jan. 1, 2026, the provisions of House Bill 3220 will take effect.
 
If you have questions about the Oregon E-Cycles Collections Determination, please contact ecycle.info@deq.oregon.gov.

Recycling programs

Manufacturers must participate in a DEQ-approved recycling program. Manufacturers must declare which recycling program they will participate in for the following calendar year at the time of registration or will be assigned to the State Contractor Program by default. Each recycling program must:

  1. Establish a collection site in every city with a population of 10,000 or greater.
  2. Provide a collection service in every county.
  3. Provide recycling free of charge for all brands of computers, monitors, printers, TVs and computer peripherals to anyone bringing seven or fewer of those devices to a participating collection site.
  4. Operate and promote the program throughout the year.
  5. Meet or exceed DEQ Environmental Management Practices and Collection System Standards.
  6. Cover their recycling program costs.

There are three types of recycling programs a manufacturer may participate in:

State contractor program

All manufacturers are participants in the state contractor program by default unless they choose to participate in and meet the qualifications for an individual or group manufacturer program.

Independent program

A manufacturers with a minimum of five percent return share may implement a program under a plan approved by DEQ.

Group manufacturer program

A group of manufacturers may implement a manufacturer program as one entity if the sum of their return shares is at least five percent. The group implements a program under a plan approved by DEQ.

Manufacturers choosing to implement a recycling program (Individual or Group) must submit a proposed plan to DEQ by July 1 of each year for operations to begin January 1 of the following year. Plans must be approved by DEQ annually.