Over a hundred years ago, a certain Mr. Penny was fined $5 for displaying boxes of meat in front of his butcher’s shop on Yarmhill Street in Portland, Oregon – the local Chamber of Commerce decided that his boxes were an obstruction and his actions were uncivil in accordance with Portland’s public right of way laws.
A growing problem?
Since then, Portland’s authorities have had a long history of addressing obstructions and debris on its sidewalks, a pressure that has intensified by the increased use of dumpsters by individuals and businesses. It becomes a problem where the dumpsters are kept in the same place, permanently, in areas that need to be kept clear for public access. Such dumpsters are often situated on public property, rather than private.
What’s more, a 2005 report into Dumpsters, Portland OR listed lots of possible negative impacts from the permanent siting of dumpsters such as the impacts to pedestrians and neighborhood aesthetics, as well as the bad smells and the possibility of vermin.
An increased number of complaints
Dumpsters are ideal solutions for businesses and individuals needing to dispose of a variety of different kinds of waste, but their increased use has led to an increased number of public complaints and placed enormous pressure on Portland City Authorities to implement more complex, integrated waste management and recycling solutions.
For example, Mayor Bud Clark’s 12-point plan addressed obstructions and debris on Portland sidewalks by trying to eliminate permanent dumpsters and a 2005 report into dumpsters by the City of Portland’s Ombudsman argued for a clearer strategy on dumpsters – involving maybe smaller containers and more frequent pick-ups (while still countering the increased traffic use that this might cause).
Be smart when hiring your dumpster
So when it comes to hiring your dumpster, be smart and make sure you avoid the fines that have been given to businesses for poorly siting their dumpsters and make sure you locate yours somewhere appropriate.
Portland Disposal & Recycling, Inc – run by a local family since 1936 – can help provide such advice and offers a wide range of dumpsters in sizes to suit all of your needs.
