Where does your recycling really go? ♻️ A WALKING TOUR
Ever wonder what happens to your recyclables after they leave the curb? 🚛 ♻️
Join us during PNW Climate Week for a fascinating, behind-the-scenes tour of Far West Fibers, a material recovery facility (MRF) that sorts and processes the region's recyclables after they are collected from the curb.
During this indoor/outdoor walking tour, you'll gain a deeper understanding of our region’s recycling system — how materials are sorted and processed (think conveyor belts, magnets, eddy currents, and blowers) — and how we can all play a part in waste prevention and proper recycling.
A powerful look into the Circular Economy and how the materials we discard are sorted, baled, and prepped before being shipped off to their next life as new products.
Tour schedule:
We will be on our feet for up to 75 minutes.
12:00 pm :: Welcome, overview, pass out safety gear
12:15 pm :: Walk around facility
12:30 pm :: See baled products
12:45 pm :: Go up on line to see sorting process
1:00 pm :: Depart!
Attire:
The tour takes place both indoors and outdoors, and depending on the weather, can be sunny, hot, windy, cold, and/or wet. Bring sunscreen. Wear comfortable footwear that can get dirty – for example, work boots, tennis shoes, or rubber boots. We’ll be walking around lots of machinery and materials! Closed-toed shoes are required.
Safety:
The MRF is a busy place with loud noises and machinery. Far West Fibers will provide a safety vest, safety glasses, and a hard hat. If you are sensitive to smells and dust, we’d recommend you bring a mask.
Driving directions from Portland:
🚙 Drive west on US-26
➡️ Take exit 69A to get on 217 South
➡️ Take exit 2A and turn right on to OR-8/Canyon Rd
⬆️ Go 4.3 miles on OR-8/Canyon Rd, heading west
⬅️ Turn left onto SW 198th Ave
➡️ Turn right onto SE Blanton St.
⬆️ Go 1.6 miles on Blanton (turns into SE Alexander St.)
♻️ Destination will be on your left.
‼️ If you've passed the Park Lanes Entertainment Center, you've gone a bit too far.
Public transit:
Bus #57 is the closest option, with a bus stop that is 0.3 miles away from the tour location.
NOTE:
If there is a heat advisory on the day-of, we will need to cancel the tour.
By registering for this event, you agree to share your registration information with the organizers of PNW Climate Week, receive communications about PNW Climate Week, and acknowledge that photos/videos may be taken for promotional use.