A major container redemption center in North Portland will shut down later this year after its landlord declined to renew the lease.
The Delta Park BottleDrop is scheduled to close on July 31, according to the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative, which operates redemption centers throughout the state under the Oregon Bottle Bill.
The facility allows residents to return bottles and cans for 10 cents each, but the site has faced years of controversy due to complaints from nearby businesses and residents.
No replacement site planned
Officials with the cooperative said they looked for alternative locations but ultimately decided against opening another full-service redemption center in the area. Previous proposals to relocate the site elsewhere in Portland had drawn strong opposition from neighborhood residents.
Instead, the organization plans to increase the number of bag-drop locations, where people can deposit containers in special bags at participating stores. Participants later receive deposits credited to their accounts.
Devon Morales, the cooperative’s vice president of strategy and outreach, said the decision reflects a growing trend toward the bag-return system in the city.
Longstanding concerns from neighbors
The Delta Park facility, located in the Delta Park Center shopping complex, has been criticized by nearby businesses and property managers who say the location attracted drug activity and other public safety problems.
Residents and workers in the area reported seeing individuals sleeping in parking areas and incidents of drug use or dealing near the facility. Some businesses reportedly left the shopping center and cited the BottleDrop location as a factor.
The property owner, TMT Development, confirmed it chose not to extend the lease after years of disputes about conditions around the site.
Shopping center redevelopment
With the BottleDrop closing, the landlord says the shopping center is expected to undergo changes. A family entertainment venue, Fun City Adventure Park, plans to move into a large retail space formerly occupied by a sporting goods store, and a food cart pod has already opened nearby.
Officials say the early closure in July will give operators time to remove equipment before the lease officially expires in September.
The Delta Park facility is among the largest BottleDrop sites in Oregon, processing an estimated 65 million to 70 million containers each year.
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