ship's log

11.11.2025

Views expressed on this site and affiliated outlets are those of SISU and its contributors. They do not represent the official positions or policies of the 937 Condominium HOA or its management company, Bluestone.

The evening before Green Century was scheduled to pick up 937’s e-recycling, I found myself standing inside the bin, its cardboard walls up to my chest. I was untangling cords, stripping away packaging, and rearranging the bounty of screens, monitors, and the odd assortment of small household appliances into neat piles.A resident approached, hesitant at first, unsure of what to make of a grown woman waist-deep in discarded electronics. She asked if there was still time to add her printer. “Yes,” I said, “bring it on down.”She did. She thanked me, genuinely relieved to have a responsible way to let go of what no longer served her. I could have used the moment to forge a connection. I need allies on my ship of one, but I hesitated, worried that anything I said might sound too heavy, too earnest, too much.Because in that moment, I was engulfed in an existential crisis. The whole effort had begun to feel strangely theatrical- the emails, the flyers, the research, the endless downloads- a kind of choreography meant to soothe the persistent tension created by how much we consume.The global economy runs on a deficit. This year, Earth Overshoot Day fell on July 24th- the date when humanity’s demand for natural resources exceeded what the planet could regenerate. Each year, that date inches closer to the start.Recycling won’t reverse that on its own. And as recycling becomes more privatized, the imbalance becomes even more apparent. A weekend collection event, no matter how well attended, cannot shift the whole trajectory of environmental decline. But it can shift our awareness. It can clarify what we already feel on a cellular level, but rarely name, as though speaking it aloud might make it harder to ignore.And yet, naming it is precisely where recovery begins.I didn’t choose the name SISUSUSI for its symmetry. I chose it for what it stands for: a quiet strength that moves forward despite discouragement. A willingness to keep going even when the path feels foolish or small. That is the key to unlocking change.Standing in that bin, under the artificial light, surrounded by the castoffs of modern life, nauseated by my own contribution to the rising tide of waste, I felt both the weight of the absurdity and the doggedness of purpose at once—a ship of one has plenty of room for anyone feeling the same.The work may feel foolish. But that is exactly what it will take to turn this ship around.

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Senate Bill 582

Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act: A Closer Look Through a Local Lens

Senate Bill 582, Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act (MRA), was designed to revitalize the state’s recycling system and shift a portion of its cost away from cities and consumers to the companies that create and use packaging.A recent Portland Business Journal article, “Wine Industry Winces as Fees Pile Up” (Vol. 41, No. 32), offers a valuable glimpse into how this well-intended legislation is landing for Oregon’s producers. The picture is more complicated than the bill’s promise.

Unpacking SB 582

Oregon’s recycling system has long relied on municipalities and consumers to bear most of the financial burden. The new law aims to rebalance responsibility by requiring producers, companies that make and use packaging, to cover roughly one-third to one-half of statewide system costs.The intention is on the right track. The implementation, however, raises important questions.

How the New System Works

DEQ - The Umpire
The Department of Environmental Quality sets the rules, oversees compliance, and reviews the annual program and fee-setting methodology.CAA - The Team Manager
The Circular Action Alliance (CAA) is the producer-led non-profit chosen by DEQ to develop the system plan and assign fees. CAA is the only Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) approved to implement paper and packaging laws in the U.S., operating in:

Haulers & Recyclers - The People on the Field
Independent businesses handle the actual collection, transport, and sorting of materials.

Producers - The People Up at Bat and Paying for the League
Producers pay fees based on the packaging they sell in Oregon.

Who Runs CAA?

CAA was founded in 2022 and is led by major national and multinational brands:

How Fees Are Set

Producers are charged based on several factors:
1. Material-Specific Base Rate
Each material: glass, plastic, paper, and metal, is assigned a fee proportional to what CAA estimates it costs to manage.
2. Eco-Mdulation
Fees are adjusted according to:

3. Tonnage reporting
Producers report the weight of materials sold into Oregon. Fees are due each July after CAA submits its annual fee schedules to the DEQ, due in June.Trancparency
While DEQ reviews the methodology, the detailed calculations behind fee-setting are proprietary to CAA.

Why Local Businesses Are Concerned

1. Glass Dependency
Oregon's wineries, olive oil makers, artisan food producers, and skincare formulators rely on heavier glass packaging, which increases their fees.2. Weight-Based, Not-Revenue-Based
A small winery producing high-quality bottles may pay more than a large national corporation that uses lightweight packaging but generates significantly more revenue.3. No Accounting for Historical Waste
Current producers are subsidizing decades of packaging waste created by large national brands.4. CAA only publishes a list of companies that have registered, not those that should be. The DEQ gets the non-compliance list privately, leaving the public with no way to compare who is obligated versus who is actually participating.5. Corporate-Dominated Governance
The organization responsible for setting fees is led by the same corporations whose packaging dominates the waste system. Local producers have no representation in these decisions.

Questions This Raises

Should Oregon producers have a seat on CAA’s board?How transparent should fee-setting be?Should historical waste be factored into future costs?Are Oregon businesses being unfairly burdened?Is this system reinforcing corporate dominance rather than leveling the playing field?

Why This Matters

Oregon’s producers are integral to our identity and sustain our local economy. A recycling system that unintentionally disadvantages these businesses risks eroding the very character we’re trying to preserve.Understanding SB 582 is the first step toward advocating for a recycling system that is fair, transparent, and genuinely modernized.

How to Make a Difference

1. Ask the Questions
Email or call the DEQ with a single, precise question can create a record, prompt an internal review, or highlight a gap.Sample Questions:

Asking questions creates pressure. Pressure moves systems.DEQ
Nicole Portley
[email protected]
503.839.9323

2. Support Local Producers
Wineries, olive oil makers, craft food producers, small-batch skincare formulators, these are the businesses carrying disproportionate weight. Talk with them. Ask them how this affects them. Let them know you are paying attention.Oregon Wine Council
Fawn Barrie
[email protected]

3. Contact your State Legislators
One thoughtful, respectful message is worth more than 50 angry ones. Emphasize:

Begin with "I support modernizing recycling. I want it implemented in a way that protects Oregon's local producers."Oregon State Legislature

4. Talk about it Within Your Own Community
A single condo community of 100+ residents, submitting public comments, or asking questions can influence policy direction. Agencies respond to "clusters" of engaged, informed individuals.

Oregon's new system will only work if the people who use it, pay into it and live with its consequences have a voice in how it unfolds.

🦉 🐍 🐈 🦦 🦊 🦢

Rome had emperors. We have PROs

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