by Geon, Bryan
Can It Be Reused or Recycled?
If you don’t want materials that are still potentially usable, you can call Metro Recycling Information at 503-234-3000 to talk with a recycling specialist who will help you find a convenient option for recycling, reusing, or disposing of the unwanted item. Alternatively, visit Metro’s interactive “Find a Recycler” web page (www.oregonmetro.gov/findrecycler), which features information about hundreds of reuse and recycling options across the region. (The call center maintains the database used for both the hotline and the Find a Recycler web tool, so you’ll get the same information by phone or online.) The database is updated on almost a daily basis, so information is as current as possible.
Recycling
Franchised garbage haulers pick up curbside recycling and yard debris/compost. Each local government regulates curbside recycling and determines what materials are accepted, although glass, paper, metal, and plastic bottles and tubs can be recycled at the curb throughout the region. Some jurisdictions offer more comprehensive recycling options than others.
In Portland, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (503-823-7202, www.PortlandOnline.com/bps/recycle) administers the city’s curbside recycling and compost/yard debris pickup programs. In Portland, recycling and yard debris/kitchen waste are picked up weekly, but garbage is picked up every other week. For information about curbside recycling in other parts of the metro area, visit www.oregonmetro.gov/tools-living/garbage-and-recycling/recycling-home-0, call Metro at 503-234-3000, or contact your local government.
More ambitious recyclers can go beyond the limited range of materials recycled at the curb; to learn where to recycle packing peanuts, block styrofoam, old batteries, antifreeze, and other hard-to-find-a-home-for items, contact—you guessed it!—Metro at www.oregonmetro.gov/findrecycler or 503-234-3000. Metro also accepts recyclables at its transfer stations.
If your new home will be in an outlying area beyond Metro’s jurisdiction, contact your city or county government directly to find out how to set up garbage and recycling service. If you’re going to live someplace really remote, you may have to haul your own garbage to the dump!
Washington
Waste Connections Inc. (360-892-5370, www.wcnorthwest.com) provides trash, recycling, and yard debris pickup in most of Clark County. Call them or visit their website to set up service. The city of Camas hauls garbage for city residents; visit ci.camas.wa.us/index.php/pwgarbage or call 360-834-2462 for details. For general information on garbage collection, recycling, and yard debris collection in Clark County, visit www.co.clark.wa.us/recycle.
Clark County has three transfer stations:
Central Transfer Station, 11034 NE 117th Ave, Vancouver, 360-256-8482
Washougal Transfer Station, 4020 S Grant St, Washougal, 360-835-2500
West Van Materials Recovery Center, 6601 NW Old Lower River Rd, Vancouver, 360-737-1727
Electronics Recycling and Hazardous Waste Disposal
Electronic waste, such as television sets, computers, computer monitors, and the like, contains such heavy metals as lead, mercury, and cadmium and should not be thrown out. If the item still works, consider donating it to a nonprofit such as Free Geek (1731 SE 10th Ave, 503-232-9350, www.freegeek.org), an organization that rebuilds used electronics and provides them to people and organizations in need.
To learn how to recycle electronic waste in the Portland area, visit Metro’s electronics recycling web page at www.oregonmetro.gov/findrecycler and select “electronics” from the list of recyclable items, or call 503-234-3000. If you live in Oregon outside Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s website (www.oregonecycles.org) has useful information about e-cycling (computer and electronics recycling); you can also call 888-532-9253 to find a collection site near you. The Washington Department of Ecology posts similar information at www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/swfa/eproductrecycle/.
Household hazardous waste such as paint, solvents, or chemicals is not safe to toss in the trash and should be disposed of properly. If you generate or inherit such materials in the Portland area, you can take your household hazardous waste to Metro for free, safe disposal or recycling. Metro has two hazardous waste acceptance facilities, which are adjacent to the two transfer stations listed above and are open Monday through Saturday. For information and directions, call 503-234-3000 or visit www.oregonmetro.gov/hhw. In Clark County, household hazardous waste can be taken to the Central Transfer and Recycling Center on weekends from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., or the West Van Materials Recovery Center on Friday or Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; the Washougal Transfer Station accepts hazardous waste from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the third Saturday of every month. (See the listings above for contact info.) Both Metro and Clark County organize frequent community hazardous waste collection events from March through November.
Of course, you should properly dispose of your electronic and hazardous waste before you move to Portland; it’s illegal and unsafe to transport hazardous waste, and getting rid of bulky electronics you no longer use will reduce the amount of stuff you have to move. Call 1-800-RECYCLE to find out where you can recycle electronics or dispose of hazardous waste in your area.
Automobiles
Driver’s Licenses and State ID Cards
Oregon
You must obtain an Oregon driver’s license when you become an Oregon resident. (The law does not specify a time limit or grace period.) You must be at least 16 to obtain a driver’s license. If you have a valid license from another U.S. state or territory, Canadian province, South Korea, or Germany, and you’re over 18, you will only need to pass a written test and an eye exam; a driving test is generally not necessary, although the DMV has the authority to require one. (Be aware, however, that the Oregon written exam has the reputation of being comparatively challenging.) Bring proof of identity with your full legal name (including your current out-of-state license); proof of current residence (such as lease or mortgage documents, a credit card or utility bill, or a bank statement); proof of legal presence in the United States (such as a passport or birth certificate or appropriate visa); and cash or check for the license fee (currently $60) to a regular or full-service Oregon Driver and Motor Vehicles Services Division (DMV) office.
Motorcycle endorsements cost $144; you’ll need a valid motorcycle endorsement from another U.S. state or territory or Canadian province.
To get a state identification card, bring proof of identity and residence and the $44.50 fee to a DMV office. You can obtain additional information about driver’s licenses and state ID cards from the DMV (503-299-9999 [Portland area], www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/). The helpful brochure “Quick Tips for Doing Business with DMV” is available in PDF format at www.odot.state.or.us/forms/dmv/6841.pdf.
You can get a new Oregon driver’s license at any of the following Portland-area DMV offices:
10280 SW Park Way, Beaverton
10 82nd Dr, Gladstone
2222 E Powell Blvd, Gresham
1300 SW Oak, Suite H, Hillsboro
3 SW Monroe Pkwy, Suite D, Lake Oswego
1502 SW Sixth Ave, Portland (Downtown)
8260 N Interstate Ave, Portland (North)
1836 NE 82nd Ave, Portland (Northeast)
8710 SE Powell Blvd, Portland (Southeast)
37395 Hwy 26, Sandy
14240 SW Galbreath Dr, Sherwood
500 N Columbia River Hwy, Ste 400, St. Helens
A complete list of regular and express DMV offices in Oregon is available online at www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/pages/offices/index.aspx. Not every office offers all DMV services.
Washington
You must get a Washington driver’s license within 30 days of the date you establish residency in the state. If you meet certain qualifications you can pre-apply online, but ultimately you’ll need to go to a driver’s licensing office with proof of identity (including your unexpired out-of-state license), your social security number (if you don’t have it memorized), an
d the license and application fees (currently $35 plus a $54 issuance fee). Most, but not all, offices now accept credit cards. If you already have a license from another state, British Columbia, Germany, or South Korea, you’ll need to complete an application and pass a vision test, but you won’t need to take a written or driving test unless your out-of-state license is expired.
To get a state identification card, you’ll need to go to a licensing office with proof of identity and $54. More information about driver’s licenses and state ID cards is available from the Washington Department of Licensing, 360-902-3900, www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/. Two full-service licensing offices serve Clark County:
9609 NE 117th Ave, Vancouver, 360-576-6060
1301 NE 136th Ave, Vancouver, 360-260-6288
Owning a Car
It is true that it is possible to live and move about happily in Portland without a car. It is also true that most Portland households own at least one car, and that trying to make your way around the suburbs without one can be a lonely, stressful, and time-consuming endeavor. Assuming you’re in the car-owning majority, there are several steps you’ll need to take to become a happy (or at least legal) Portland motorist.
Automobile Registration
Oregon
You are required to register and title your car(s) in Oregon when you become an Oregon resident. You can register your vehicle at any of the state DMV offices listed above; to save time, try to combine errands and get a driver’s license during the same visit. You’ll need to bring the title and (for most vehicles) proof that your car has passed an emissions test (see below). If there is a lien on your car (if the car is financed, for example), you’ll need permission from the security interest holder. You’ll also need to have a VIN inspection; this brief procedure can be performed at any full-service DMV office or can be done during your emissions test. Oregon does not require a safety inspection, and registration is a fixed amount (currently $86 per year for passenger cars, plus an extra $19 for residents of Multnomah County); fees are not based on a vehicle’s weight or value. Registration is good for two years.
Be sure to bring a checkbook or enough cash to cover the registration, title, license plate, and VIN inspection fees; the DMV does not accept credit cards. If you have a passenger vehicle and you’re not getting specialty or personalized plates, expect to pay a total of about $194 for a two-year registration on a used car; the cost for new vehicles will be higher. Full information on titling and registering a vehicle in Oregon is available on the Oregon DMV website (www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/pages/vehicle/titlereg.aspx) or by calling 503-299-9999.
Washington
You must title and register your vehicle within 30 days of moving to Washington. (You’ll need to show your Washington driver’s license, so take care of that first.) To register a vehicle, you will need to submit your current title, a notarized Vehicle Certificate of Ownership Application, and possibly proof that the vehicle has passed a Washington emissions test (see below). You will also need to pay a host of fees and charges, including title fees, subagent fees, a one-time VIN inspection fee, and a registration fee. Registration fees alone, which are based on vehicle, range between $43.75 and $63.75 for most vehicles. More details about vehicle registration, including specific fees, are available from the Department of Licensing (360-902-3770, www.dol.wa.gov/vehicleregistration/). Additional fees can easily equal or exceed the registration cost.
To register, visit or mail your paperwork and fees to any vehicle licensing office. There are ten vehicle licensing offices in Clark County; a complete list is available online at https://fortress.wa.gov/dol/dolprod/vehoffices/. (Note that Washington driver’s licensing offices cannot process vehicle registrations.)
Automobile Insurance
In Oregon, the legally required (and woefully inadequate) minimum liability insurance coverage is $25,000 per person/$50,000 per crash for bodily injury to others; $20,000 per crash for damage to the property of others; personal injury protection coverage of $15,000 per person; and uninsured motorist coverage of $25,000 per person/$50,000 per crash for bodily injury. You do not need to bring proof of insurance with you when you register your car (unless you are taking a driving test or have previously been convicted of driving without insurance), but you will need to certify that the vehicle has at least the legally required minimum insurance coverage. You must carry proof of insurance in your vehicle at all times; electronic proof is acceptable.
Washington’s mandatory insurance requirements for bodily injury or property damage to others are the same as Oregon’s, except that the property damage minimum is only $10,000; personal injury protection and uninsured motorist coverage are not required. You must carry proof of insurance in your vehicle at all times.
Emissions Testing
In general, any vehicle brought into the Portland metropolitan area must pass an emissions test before it can be registered. Once your car is registered, you’ll need to have it re-tested every two years.
Oregon
In Oregon, pre-1975 vehicles, motorcycles, and all vehicles registered outside the Portland metropolitan area and the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon are exempt from testing. The testing fee is $21, payable by cash, credit card, money order, or debit card only; checks are not accepted. Testing hours vary; generally, vehicle inspection stations are closed on Sundays and Mondays, and stay open late on Wednesday nights. There are six inspection stations, known as “clean air stations,” in the Portland area:
Clackamas, 9350 SE Clackamas Rd (near intersection with SE 82nd Dr, off I-205 just north of the 212/224 exit))
Gresham, 1200 SW Highland Dr (near 182nd Ave and Powell Blvd)
Northeast Portland, 7701 NE 33rd Dr (between Columbia Blvd and Marine Dr)
Scappoose, 52751 NE 1st (just off Hwy 30)
Sherwood, 14962 SW Tualatin-Sherwood Rd (east of Sherwood off Pacific Hwy)
Sunset/Hillsboro, 5130 NW Five Oaks Dr (off Cornelius Pass Rd, just north of the Sunset Hwy/US 26)
You can check out the crowd on online “lane cams” on the DEQ website, or call 971-673-1630, before you go. Clean Air Stations are normally busiest on Tuesdays, so a visit on Wednesday evening, Thursday, or Friday will result in a shorter wait time. For complete details of Oregon’s emissions testing program, including station hours and program requirements, visit the Department of Environmental Quality Vehicle Inspection Program website (www.deq.state.or.us/aq/vip/) or call 503-229-5066 or 877-476-0583.
Washington
If you live in a non-rural part of Clark County, your car will probably have to pass an emissions test. Vehicles less than 5 or more than 25 years old are exempt from testing, as are certain hybrid vehicles with a city fuel economy rating of at least 50 miles per gallon and diesel passenger vehicles weighing three tons or less. Note that Washington requires emissions tests every two years; the model year of your car determines whether your car gets tested in even or odd years. If you move to Washington with a car that would not otherwise have to be tested during the year you move, you can wait a year to get it tested (but you’ll have to register the vehicle right away regardless).
The inspection fee is $15, payable by cash, local check, or credit or debit card. Complete information is available from the Washington Vehicle Emissions Program (253-395-1177, emissiontestwa.com). Two emissions inspection stations, operated by a private contractor, serve Clark County:
West Vancouver, 14110 NW 3rd Ct., Vancouver, 360-574-3731
East Vancouver, 1121 NE 136th Ave, Vancouver, 360-254-2173
Inspection stations are open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Thursdays until 6 p.m.), and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; they are closed Sundays, state holidays, the day before Christmas, and during inclement weather (such as snowstorms). Reservations are not available, but current wait times are posted at www.emissiontestwa.com/e/waittime.aspx. Waits are generally shortest on Mondays and in the middle of each month.
Parking
Several close-in Portland neighbor
hoods, including portions of Nob Hill, Goose Hollow, the Central Eastside Industrial District, Lair Hill, and the Homestead neighborhood near OHSU, are part of the city’s Area Parking Permit Program. The proximity of these areas to downtown, combined with their lack of parking meters, make them attractive places for commuters to park; at the same time, many people who live and work in these neighborhoods do not have off-street parking, so as a consequence on-street parking is in short supply to begin with. The city introduced a permit program to address this potential problem. You generally cannot park in these zones for more than a specified length of time (typically 90 minutes or two hours) during the day, but residents of each zone, and people who work there, can purchase zone parking permits that exempt their cars from the visitor parking time limit. (Street signs explain visitor parking restrictions, so don’t worry too much about accidentally parking in a permit-only zone.) To find out whether your new address is in an Area Parking permit zone, or to learn how to apply for a permit, visit www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/38744 or call the Portland Office of Transportation at 503-823-5185.
Some municipalities in the Portland area require you to obtain a permit to park overnight on a public street. Check with your county or city government to see if a permit is necessary in your neighborhood.
