The new plant is located next to Metro's garbage transfer station in Oregon City. Last year Metro collected 85,000 of gallons of unwanted latex paint, recycling most of it and returning it to the community for painting projects ranging from barns to churches to apartment complexes. Much of this paint is collected during Metro's popular free community hazardous waste collection events in the spring and fall, as well as at its permanent household hazardous waste facilities in northwest Portland and Oregon City. This fall's first free event will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 18 at Intel's Hawthorn Farm campus in Hillsboro. Other fall events are Oct. 2 in Wilsonville and Oct. 16 in Gresham.
All events offer opportunities for people to get rid of unwanted paint, pesticides and solvents.
With the opening of its new latex paint processing facility, Metro will be able to significantly increase the amount of paint it collects and recycles. Each can of paint is checked for quality, sorted by color and then poured into one of 11 330-gallon vats. Metro had been recycling the paint it collects in a much smaller facility and in smaller batches. Metro also mixes one white interior color. The paint receives high marks from commercial painters and contractors, who say it covers well and does not require applying a second coat.