Clatsop County Code Compliance has launched “Let’s Talk Trash,” a six-month campaign to raise awareness of when trash buildup on property could result in a violation.
The Let’s Talk Trash campaign will help residents understand how to properly dispose of waste and what to do if trash is illegally dumped where you live.
This month’s focus of Clatsop County Community Development Department’s Let’s Talk Trash campaign is construction or demolition waste.
Let’s Talk Trash is a six-month campaign launched by Code Compliance to raise awareness of when trash buildup on property could result in a violation.
“This type of waste can be bricks and masonry, concrete, wood, metal including piping, plaster and drywall, glass and windows, landscape waste and many other things,” said Code Compliance Specialist Nancy Mendoza.
Depending on what it is, you can take construction or demolition waste to the Astoria transfer station for disposal and/or recycling unless the construction/demolition waste contains asbestos.
Homes may contain asbestos in the walls, roof, floors, siding, ceilings, walls and other areas. When asbestos-containing material is disturbed and improperly handled the asbestos fibers can enter our bodies through breathing. There is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos.
A more detailed list of material that may contain asbestos is available from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.
What if construction/demolition waste is dumped on your property?
If construction or demolition waste is dumped on your property, the safest thing for you to do is to treat it as if it contains asbestos. Remember, there is no known safe level of exposure to asbestos.
If this has happened to you:
- File a report with the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office for illegal dumping
- Hire an accredited inspector to determine if the waste contains asbestos or,
- Treat the waste as if it does contain asbestos. Read the instructions for handling and disposal of construction/demolition waste containing asbestos
- Contact the DEQ Asbestos program at the number below for further instructions
Asbestos Program Contacts
Office |
Address |
Phone |
Counties |
Portland |
700 NE Multnomah St. |
503-229-5982 or 800-452-4011 |
Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Multnomah, Tillamook, Washington |
DEQ provides a list of licensed asbestos abatement contractors.
When a homeowner or occupant receives a NOW, they will be informed:
- When the trash– also called solid waste– must be removed
- What is considered solid waste on your property, and
- Actions the County may take if the solid waste is not removed
“We encourage people to reach out to us before a violation is issued. We are here to help and we can work with them on cleaning up the property,” she said.
When we talk about household garbage, construction debris, abandoned appliances or tires, we often will use the term, “solid waste.”
Having solid waste dumped on your property without your permission is a crime called illegal dumping.
The Solid Waste Abatement Program (SWAP) assists property owners and occupants of properties who are victims of illegal dumping. This program provides financial assistance in the form of a voucher that can be used at the Astoria transfer station to dispose up to one ton of solid waste.
If you are a victim of illegal dumping or have questions about the program, please nmendoza [at] clatsopcounty.gov (email) Nancy Mendoza or call her at 503-325-8611.
Some everyday items we have in our homes are considered household hazardous waste. That means they could be dangerous to human health and the environment. They could catch fire, explode and negatively react with other substances if not properly disposed of.
When we say household hazardous waste, we mean cleaners, paints, batteries, and fertilizers that contain potentially hazardous ingredients that require special care when you dispose of them.
How to Dispose of Household Hazardous Waste
- DO bring your HHW to our free monthly HHW event.
- Do NOT dispose of HHW down the drain, on the ground, into storm drains, or in the trash. Doing so would pollute our environment and pose a threat to human health.
How to Handle Household Hazardous Waste
- Avoid accidents at home by carefully following product label instructions on how to use and store them.
- Read product labels for disposal directions. That will reduce the risk of products exploding, igniting, leaking, or mixing with other chemicals.
- Never store hazardous products in food containers. Keep HHW them in their original containers and never remove labels.
Find Out Which Household Hazardous Waste Items Are in Your Home
Cleaning Products
• Bleach | • Drain cleaners | • Oven cleaners |
• Pool chemicals | • Toilet cleaners | • Wood and metal cleaners |
• Tub, tile and shower cleaners |
Pesticides
• Bug sprays and baits | • Flea repellents and shampoos | • Houseplant insecticides |
• Mouse/rat poisons and baits | • Moth repellents |
Automotive Products
• Antifreeze | • Carburetor and fuel injection cleaners | • Fuel additives |
• Gasoline | • Transmission and brake fluids | • Motor oil |
Shop/Painting Supplies
• Adhesives and glues | • Solvents | • Strippers |
• Oil-based paints | • Strippers and thinners | • Stains and finishes |
• Preservatives |
Other items
• Batteries | • Fluorescent light bulbs | • Mercury thermometers |
• Propane | • Compressed gas cylinders |
Visit our Household Hazardous Waste webpage to find out more.
If there are two or more non-working vehicles being stored on a property in Unincorporated Clatsop County, the property owner may be in violation of Clatsop County Land and Water Use Development Code (LAWDUC).
That is because an auto wrecking yard is defined as any property where two or more motor vehicles are not in running condition, or the parts are stored in the open and the vehicles are not being restored to operation. It also applies to any land, building or structure used for the wrecking or storing of such motor vehicles or parts.
An auto wrecking yard is a land use that requires a development permit from the Clatsop County Community Development Department. Auto wrecking yards are only allowed in specific zones in Clatsop County. These include: General Commercial, Light Industrial and Rural Community Light Industrial zones.
“Vehicles that are not in running condition are inoperable. They may have broken or missing windows, windshields, wheels or tires, lack an engine or transmission or have an inoperable engine or transmission,” said Gail Henrikson, Community Development Director.
If your property fits the definition of an auto wrecking yard, there are several ways you can avoid receiving a violation:
- Actively begin restoring your vehicle. Save your receipts, document your progress. The key is to show you are doing it not just saying you’re doing it.
- Have the vehicle towed to an auto wrecking yard. Depending on circumstances, it may not cost you any money to have it towed.
“We encourage people to reach out to us if they have questions. We are happy to work with residents to resolve any potential code violations,” she said.
Contact codecompliance [at] ClatsopCounty.gov (Clatsop County Code Compliance) for more information at 503-325-8611 or visit ClatsopCounty.gov.