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Cardboard Recycling in Portland, OR

Flattened cardboard goes in your blue recycling bin; bundle extras (3 ft max) beside it. Metro Central also takes cardboard free.

See all 3 options
Stacked brown cardboard boxes
Illustrative item photographKadarius Seegars / Unsplash (opens in new tab)

Checked October 26, 2026 · Call before you go · How we check

3 ways to get rid of a cardboard in Portland

Tap an option to see the address, hours, cost and rules.

  1. CurbCycle PickupPickup from your home · PortlandNo haulingWe recycle it for youFrom $80.00
    How it works

    Book online, set out your cardboard and we’ll pick it up and recycle it for you. You see your price before you book and pay only after pickup.

    Book a pickup →

  2. Metro Central Transfer StationDrop-off · 6161 NW 61st Ave., PortlandOpen to everyoneFree
    Where

    6161 NW 61st Ave.
    Portland, OR 97210

    Hours

    General public: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. daily.

    Cost & rules

    Cardboard

    AcceptedFree (documented)
    • No charge for residential customers.

    Full details & sourcesOfficial site (opens in new tab)

  3. Portland curbside recyclingPickup service · PortlandPortland residentsCost not listed
    How it works

    Portland residential garbage service includes a blue recycling bin collected by the garbage company; flattened cardboard goes in the bin, with extra cardboard bundled beside it.

    Cost & rules
    • Before you go: Flatten boxes; bundle extra cardboard (max 3 ft) next to the bin.

    Official page (opens in new tab)

Before you go

  1. Check whether you have corrugated boxes, coated packaging or mixed materials.
  2. Remove foam, plastic and other packing inserts.
  3. Flatten boxes and check quantity limits for your program.
More about cardboard

Oregon rules

More Oregon rules (8)
Where this information comes from (15)

Where this information comes from

Checked October 26, 2026

  • Metro Central transfer station (opens in new tab) · Metro (Oregon)
    • Recyclables, metal appliances, E-Cycles electronics and (where listed) mattresses are accepted at no charge from residential customers. Checked October 26, 2026.
    • Fee materials have a $37-51 minimum for loads up to 240 pounds; public customers on staffed scales pay a $30 transaction fee per load above that. Checked October 26, 2026.
    • Curbside recyclables including corrugated cardboard and copper and ferrous metals are accepted. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Recycling – what goes in the bin (opens in new tab) · City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
    • Flattened cardboard boxes go in the recycling bin. Checked October 26, 2026.
    • Extra flattened cardboard can be taped into one bundle no larger than 3 feet and leaned next to the bin. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • ORS Chapter 459: Solid Waste Management (2025 edition) (opens in new tab) · Oregon State Legislature
    • ORS 459.247 bars disposing of, and disposal sites from knowingly accepting, discarded large home appliances, used oil, tires, lead-acid batteries and covered electronic devices. Checked October 26, 2026.
    • Disposal sites may still accept and store these banned items for recycling or recovery. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Oregon DEQ: Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act (opens in new tab) · Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
    • The Recycling Modernization Act (SB 582, 2021) took effect Jan. 1, 2022, and recycling program changes started in July 2025. Checked October 26, 2026.
    • Under the RMA, producers of packaged items, paper products and food serviceware pay for many recycling system improvements. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Oregon DEQ: Local Government Recycling Acceptance List (Aug. 4, 2025) (opens in new tab) · Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
    • From July 1, 2025, local governments began moving to one consistent list of materials collected curbside and at depots. Checked October 26, 2026.
    • Corrugated cardboard is on the statewide curbside list; flatten boxes, keep them empty and dry, and place loose in the cart. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Oregon DEQ: Recycle Right! (opens in new tab) · Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
    • In Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington counties, DEQ refers residents to RecycleOrNot.org or the Metro Recycling Information hotline, 503-234-3000. Checked October 26, 2026.
  • Oregon DEQ: Household Hazardous Waste (opens in new tab) · Oregon Department of Environmental Quality
    • DEQ says household hazardous waste should not go down the sink, on the ground, down a storm drain or in the garbage. Checked October 26, 2026.
    • DEQ lists pesticides, herbicides, solvents, fuels, paints, motor oil, antifreeze and mercury-containing wastes as household hazardous waste. Checked October 26, 2026.
    • DEQ keeps a county list of locally sponsored HHW programs, including permanent collection facilities. Checked October 26, 2026.

“Checked” means we read the official page on that date. Things can change, so call before you go.

How we check our information