Every garage in Oregon has that shelf: half-cans of paint, a dead TV, a cooler of mystery chemicals, and a block of styrofoam from a delivery three years ago. None of it goes in the bin, so it just… stays. Here’s where this stuff actually goes in Oregon – including the free programs worth knowing – and when it’s easier to have us take it.
Electronics and TVs
Oregon bans computers, monitors, and TVs from the landfill, so they can’t go in the trash. The good news: Oregon E-Cycles offers free drop-off recycling for those items at participating locations statewide. That works great for one monitor. For a garage shelf of electronics, a dead big-screen you can’t lift, or an office’s worth of gear, our e-waste removal service hauls it all and routes it properly.
Paint and household chemicals
Oregon’s PaintCare program takes leftover paint, stain, and varnish free at participating drop-off sites – usually paint retailers. For everything else on the chemical shelf, Metro’s hazardous waste facilities accept household chemicals. And if a cleanout turns up a whole cabinet of it, we take paint and household chemicals too – most companies refuse them, we don’t. Call for pricing on those.
Styrofoam
Styrofoam can’t go in curbside recycling in the Portland area, which is why it piles up. We take it. If you’ve got a garage corner full of packing foam, add it to the load.
Refrigerators and freezers
Fridges and freezers contain refrigerant that has to be handled properly, which is why you can’t just leave one at the curb. We haul them for $150-$180 – the full story is in our refrigerator and freezer disposal guide.
Mattresses
Mattresses have their own recycling path in Oregon and a few free options worth checking before you pay anyone. We broke it all down in our Portland mattress disposal guide. If you just want it gone, a mattress and box spring pickup runs $150-$180.
The two heavyweights: hot tubs and pianos
The items nobody can move are our specialty:
- Hot tub (small, drained): $540-$720, including breakdown and all loading
- Piano: $480-$960 depending on type and access
A quick decision rule
One item, a car it fits in, and a free program nearby? Do the drop-off – it costs nothing. Multiple items, anything heavy, or no truck? One pickup solves the whole shelf at once. Our minimum pickup is $150, and you can see everything we accept on the what we take page. We also wrote about what most junk removal companies refuse – and what we do differently.
Clear the shelf
Text a photo of your pile to (503) 455-7920 and we’ll text back a fast, free estimate. We take what others won’t, across the whole Portland metro area.