MEDIA ADVISORY: City Of Portland's Bureau Of Planning And Sustainability Invites Members Of The Media To South/Southwest Public Trash Can Expansion Celebration, Wednesday, June 17 - 06/15/26
PLEASE NOTE: This is an invitation for media only and should not be published.
Portland, Ore.— The City of Portland's Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) invites members of the media to attend a celebration marking the completion of the Public Trash Can Program expansion. The event commemorates the successful rollout of the program's final phase in South and Southwest Portland, completing a citywide effort to provide cleaner, more welcoming public spaces for residents and visitors. The celebration will highlight the program's impact on neighborhood livability, feature the public art incorporated into many of the public , and recognize the partnerships that helped make the expansion possible.
WHO: Journalists can speak to City Leadership and program staff, including District 4 City Councilor Mitch Green, Deputy City Administrator for Community and Economic Development Donnie Oliveira, Solid Waste and Recycling Manager Eben Polk, Program Coordinator Jeremy Basurto, and Waste Opoerations Manager Quintin Bauer.
WHAT: Opportunity to photograph and film the Public Trash Can Expansion Celebration, including remarks from elected officials and community leaders, a ceremonial ribbon cutting, and featured public trash can art installations. Media will also have the opportunity to interview staff about the program's implementation and its benefits for Portland neighborhoods.
WHERE:
Multnomah Arts Center – Auditorium
7688 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland, OR 97219
WHEN:
Wednesday, June 17, 2026
10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
VISUALS:
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Public art-wrapped trash cans
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Community leaders and elected officials
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Ribbon-cutting ceremony
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Neighborhood business district backdrop
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Group photo featuring project partners and artists
RSVP:
Please RSVP to Julian Hanlon-Austin (julian.hanlon-austin2@portlandoregon.gov).
About the Public Trash Can Program
Portland’s public trash can program started in 1977 and has functioned as a critical community service since. The program began expanding in 2017, adding hundreds of new cans to public spaces, bringing the total number of cans from approximately 750 across the city to more than 1,400.
About the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
The Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) oversees a world-renowned waste and recycling system and leads the country in its commitment to digital equity, open data, and protecting communities in the application of technologies. Staff collaborate with partners on neighborhood, economic, historic, and environmental planning and provide research, policy, and technical services to advance energy efficiency and renewable energy, as well as policies and actions to address climate change. The bureau also oversees the innovative Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF). BPS is one of several bureaus and programs in the Community and Economic Development service area. This service area aligns City programs focused on building prosperity for all Portlanders. This is done by creating and delivering efficient, transparent, and equitable solutions for a resilient built environment – as well as services, resources, and experiences for our community.