Officials slam recycling company after discovering 17 tons of concerning garbage: 'We are not running from accountability'

A Portland recycling company with government deals worth millions routed over 17 tons of plastic into a dump rather than recycling it, reported the Oregonian.

What's happening?

Metro, the regional government that regulates Portland's waste industry, cited City of Roses Disposal & Recycling in December for mishandling recyclable materials. City of Roses had landed a $400,000 deal to handle waste from the Oregon Convention Center.

From July 2024 through August 2025, the company diverted 17 tons of plastic from that facility straight to a dump. City of Roses said no one was willing to purchase the plastic.

The agency hit the company with a $10,690 penalty and ordered it to produce an improvement plan. The company settled the penalty and turned over its corrective plan by Feb. 17.

"The issue was operational, not intentional, and we strengthened our systems immediately," CEO Alando Simpson said in a statement.

The company holds roughly $5.5 million in public contracts through Metro, covering locations including Oxbow Park, the Oregon Zoo, and Portland's Center for the Arts.

Why is improper recycling disposal concerning?

When plastic gets buried in a dump, it can linger for hundreds of years. As it slowly degrades, it releases chemicals into the surrounding soil and groundwater.

This situation shakes public confidence in the recycling system. Residents and local governments pay for these services with the expectation that materials are being processed, not thrown away. If people lose faith in that system, they may stop sorting their waste altogether.

The agency is continuing to look into other aspects of how City of Roses operates. Results are expected by June, and if investigators find more problems, the agency could cancel its agreements with the company.

What's being done about improper recycling disposal?

Metro's council voted to impose stricter measurement and reporting standards on City of Roses when it renewed the company's operating franchise. Simpson said City of Roses brought on an outside consultant to review how it tracks and reports materials.

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"We are not running from accountability," Simpson said.

If you want to make sure your recycling is really getting recycled, contact your local waste agency and ask how your materials are tracked after pickup. Push your elected officials to strengthen oversight of public waste contracts and demand more transparency from recycling contractors.

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