Managing the Future of Solid Waste

Deschutes County – Solid Waste Facts

In 2020, households and businesses in Deschutes County generated 300,000 tons of solid waste (about 3,000 pounds per person). These materials were managed in the following ways:

About 98,500 tons of materials were diverted (recycled, reused, composted)
About 198,000 tons of waste were disposed at the Knott Landfill

Solid Waste Management Plan

Knott Landfill Recycling and Transfer Facility is the only landfill in Deschutes County and is expected to be full by 2029. To plan for the future, Deschutes County developed a Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) in 2019 to provide a roadmap for meeting the challenges of solid waste management in a growing community.

New state regulations require each county to reduce waste disposal in landfills and Deschutes County currently diverts 33% of its waste stream to recycling. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality recently revised the County’s goal to 45% by 2025. All residents and businesses generate recyclable materials and waste, so they have a role in meeting waste management goals.

Growth in the community and changes to the solid waste system will require that new or upgraded facilities be constructed. Additionally, some of the County’s older solid waste facilities are operating over capacity and are in need of improvements to handle the increases in waste and recyclable material volumes. The SWMP evaluates cost and operational needs of these facilities to ensure waste management services remain reliable and affordable.

With Knott Landfill expecting to reach capacity in 2029, the SWMP also assessed disposal options such as alternative technologies, transporting waste to out-of-County regional landfills, and siting a new landfill in Deschutes County. The decision was made to site and permit a new Solid Waste Management Facility (Landfill) within Deschutes County which needs to be operational before Knott Landfill reaches capacity.

Solid Waste Management Facility

Deschutes County is implementing a siting effort to identify a location for a new Solid Waste Management Facility in the County. While a new landfill is a leading need, opportunities for related solid waste management facilities such as separation and diversion facilities for recyclables, food waste, construction and demolition materials and other commodities may be part of this effort.

Want to get involved?

The siting study is in its early phases and will be a multi-year effort, with opportunities for public engagement throughout the process. The County has reconvened the Solid Waste Advisory Committee (SWAC) to work with staff and the consultant team to prepare the top potential solid waste management facility sites for Board consideration. The SWAC meetings are scheduled the 3^rd Tuesday of each month from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. through June 2023 in person or virtually using Zoom. Please email solidwaste@deschutes.org for the Zoom link. All meetings are open to the public.

Meeting Schedule:

July 2023 - no meeting
August 2023 - meeting for an update on preliminary outcomes of the upcoming investigation phase
September 2023 - no regular meeting, special Open House 9/11/23 from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. at the Deschutes Services Building
October 2023 - meeting to review public feedback from the September 11 Open House
January 2024 - no meeting
February 2024 - meeting for SWAC review of the technical reports for the finalist sites
March 2024 - meeting for SWAC discussion and comments on the draft
April 2024 - meeting for SWAC to prepare the final recommendation to the BOCC

Visit the Solid Waste Advisory Committee Meetings webpage for April 2022 to June 2023 agendas, minutes, and other supporting documents. For meeting material and content August 2023 or later, please visit the Deschutes County Meeting Portal webpage.

Have feedback or questions? Please feel free to call us at (541) 317-3163 or email managethefuture@deschutescounty.gov.