Inspire Change in Your Community

Master Recyclers volunteers inspire neighbors, family, friends, and coworkers to take action.

“As I enter my 7th year in the Master Recycler program, I cannot help but reflect ... We do more than talk about the 3 R’s [reduce, reuse, recycle], helping communities connect to each other, inspiring true conservation and new ways of thinking.”

– Rob, Milwaukie

Learn from the Experts

Join 30 recycling enthusiasts in an seven-week course. Learn from innovative leaders about topics such as:

  • climate change,

  • repair and reuse,

  • community sharing,

  • toxics reduction,

  • saving food from being wasted,

  • recycling and compost processing,

  • equity in the environment,

  • global recycling markets.

Take Tours and Get Skills

Tour recycling centers, compost facilities, and hazardous and municipal waste sites to see firsthand how these systems work.

Connect to resources and learn skills that will help you make meaningful change for yourself and become a resource for your community.

Join the team 

You will be a part of a team of 2,000 Master Recycler volunteers from Forest Grove to downtown Portland, St Johns to Canby and Sandy.

To participate and earn your Master Recycler certification, you will make a commitment to attend all dates of the training and volunteer 30 hours.

Staff information booths on consumption, recycling, greener cleaners and compost/worm bins, or help with repair fairs, event recycling, Green School Certifications, and green teams. Or Receive assistance in a project that you already have in mind for your community.

Community organizations can request help from a Master Recycler by completing the volunteer request form.

are you a sustainability professional seeking training?

The mission of the Master Recycler Program is all about training a corps of people committed to community outreach and community projects.

If you are interested in taking a course for the purposed of training for your position as a sustainability professional, you may be more interested in the Recycling 101 program. This Certification program is made possible through a partnership with OSU and the Association of Oregon Recyclers. It is online. You can take it anytime and there is no volunteer hours requirement.