Zero Waste McMinnville has existed for ten years and has many accomplishments to show for itself. We were formed to provide zero-waste alternatives to the regional landfill - Riverbend Landfill - which was threatening the well-being of local farms, rivers, watersheds, and garbage rates. After a 26-year David-and-Goliath fight against the multi-million-dollar Fortune 500 Corporation, Waste Management, Riverbend Landfill was denied its expansion and is closing. Zero Waste McMinnville has been leading the way in finding alternatives to this landfill finally closing.

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Over these past 10-years, we estimate we have contributed 30,000 hours to the zero-waste cause. We've had over 300 volunteers and dozens of board members who have led the charge with education and action.

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The Plastic Project, a brain-child of Zero Waste McMinnville, has created hundreds of on-site sorting ambassadors to reduce landfill-bound trash produced at major city-wide events and collections. With 8 collection events from 2022 to 2024, The Plastic Project has diverted 7,402lbs of plastic from landfills. McMinnville and Yamhill County residents have recycled and kept over 3 tons of plastic out of landfills!

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The Plastic Project has also partnered with numerous local groups who have a passion for smart and effective recycling. These partnerships have contributed over $7,000 to local vendors and suppliers who benefited from our agreed goal.

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Zero Waste McMinnville successfully advocated adding glass curbside recycling to our franchise agreement with Recology. 

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We led the charge to eliminate single-use plastic bags in Oregon, which resulted in McMinnville being the only city in Oregon to pass an ordinance to prevent all types of plastic bags from being distributed at the point of sale.

The state of Oregon has since passed a statewide single-use ban which allows thick “re-usable” plastic bags to be sold at point-of-sale for carry out, there by rescinding the McMinnville 100% embargo on plastic bags.

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We successfully advocated for the city to add a mandatory fee to the garbage bill, which paid for city-wide polystyrene recycling, resulting in over 78 tons of Styrofoam going to Agilyx for processing and reuse.

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ZWM developed numerous popular city gatherings advocating reduction, reuse, recycling, and refuse, including COMPOSTPOOLZA and EARTHNIGHT. 

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ZWM received numerous grants, including $35,000 from the United Way and Willamette University, to provide Chapul Farms the necessary funds to test Black Solider Fly food waste disposal at Tainable Regenerative Agricultural Laboratory. 

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We championed the establishment of a sustainable store, Sustainable Rituals, which was founded by one of our board members. Sustainable Rituals is dedicated to eliminating plastic in households and with personal hygiene.

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Zero Waste McMinnville helped create Zero Waste Oregon, which advocates for zero waste policy at the State Capital. 

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Zero Waste McMinnville also helped create Edible Landscapes of Yamhill County, which first developed out of our composting and food justice committees. 

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ZWM helped create the Mac Tool Library, which is founded by one of our past Board Members. This Library helps community members work together to fix what is broken instead of creating more waste. 

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Thank you for joining us in this lifestyle.

We can't wait to see all the change we can create these next 10 years!