PlanetCon: A Free Recycling, Reuse and Sustainability Fair

When: June 25  2022  11am - 2pm 
Where:  Century High School North Parking Lot,  2000 SE Century Blvd, Hillsboro, OR 97123
This is an outdoor event.
Download our PlanetCon checklist to prepare for the event.

Event Details


PlanetCon checklist to help you prepare
​​Shop the really, really, free table - Drop-off and/or pickup items with an outdoor adventure, sports and games theme.
Get something fixed with Repair Fair
Donate usable items - Bicycles, eyeglasses, hearing aids and women's menstrual products
Drop-off items for recycling and proper disposal
  • Batteries, medications, and sharps (collected by Metro)
  • Computers, Electronics​ and other small corded items
  • Some #1 (PET/PETE) and #5 (PP) plastics. Read collection event details carefully.
  • Redeemable Cans and Bottles
What We Won't Take
Visit information tables 
Have fun!
​Learn More

**** Check back before the June event for any last-minute additions! ****

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​Shop the really, really free table
​Bring in your clean and usable equipment for outdoor adventure, sports and games such as frisbees, horseshoes, tennis, badminton, croquet, golf, volleyball, baseball, skateboards, climbing equipment, camping and backpacking equipment, etc. Then browse the tables to find items you can use!
  • ​​Please limit to what you can carry in with your arms in one trip from the car.  No over-sized or heavy items. ​
  • It is not necessary to bring something in order to take something home.
  • There is no limit to what you can take.

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Get Something Fixed with Repair Fair
Bring your broken household items for free repair. Acceptable items include bikes, electronics, small furniture, lamps, small appliances like blenders or coffee makers, jewelry, and clothing. Registration is required using the Item Registration button below. Limited to two items per person.

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Drop off items for recycling or proper disposal
Recycle #1 PET/PETE Plastic
Look for the resin code PETE or PET #1 and separate them into two categories:
  1. Clear plastic (no colors or opaque plastic) clamshells, trays, cups, egg cartons, salad and pastry boxes and take-out containers. 
  2. Bottles and tubs marked with #1, PET or PETE that are smaller than 6oz. This includes small bottles/tubs of any color, including prescription bottles and hotel sized shampoo containers.
  • Items must be clean and dry with no food residue.
  • Labels are OK.
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Clear #1 PETE examples
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Colored #1 small PETE bottles
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Recycle #5 PP Plastic  
​Look for resin code #5 or PP. Accepted items include cups, trays, lids, tofu containers, planter pots, storage bins, DVD cases (with paper/plastic film removed), prescription medication bottles, small toiletry bottles and other items stamped with #5 PP.
  • Items must be clean and dry with no food residue.
  • Labels are OK. ​
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example #5 containers
​Electronics, small appliances, string lights and printer ink cartridges
Computer Drive Connection will be accepting the following items​
  • Any small appliance with a cord.      ​
  • Desktop and laptop computers
  • Flat panel monitors and televisions. No CRTs
  • Printers/Typewriters
  • CD Roms/Modems/Networking Devices
  • Circuit Boards/Circuit Board Components
  • Wire, cables and charging cords
  • Keyboards, mice, power supplies, headphones
  • Telephone Equipment/ Cell Phones
  • Audio and video equipment
  • Inkjet and Toner Cartridges
  • String lights (holiday, garden lights) with a cord
NO items that contain coolant/refrigerant (refrigerators, freezers, A/C units) . NO cathode ray tube (CRT) televisions or monitors. ​
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Batteries
Please sort your batteries into the following groups:  
1) alkaline (AAA thru D, 9-volt)
2) button/coin cell 
3) rechargeable batteries
NO car or other lead-acid batteries
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Medical sharps 
Medical sharps including needles, syringes, lancets. These must be contained in an approved sharps containers.
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Medications
Its OK to bring meds in a plastic baggie and bring their containers separately for recycling if #1 or #5. 
  • Do not flush unused medications down the drain.
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Redeemable Cans and Bottles
Support the Westside Planet Alliance (WPA) by bringing your deposit/redeemable bottles and cans to PlanetCon. The WPA, a non-profit organization, is raising funds through the BottleDrop program to cover the costs of coordinating community events like PlanetCon.  

An alternative way to support our efforts is to make a small, optional donation to our  Paypal account using a credit card.
Picturechildren's and adult bicycles
Donate Usable Items
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​Donate bicycles from children's to adult sizes. Washco Bikes, a non-profit in Hillsboro, will be accepting bikes and bike parts in any condition for donation and recycling.  They also will take bike accessories including lights, pumps, gear, and bike racks.   A bike technician will also be on hand to make bike repairs on your personal bike if needed.
Picturehearing aids and eyeglasses
​Donate used eyeglasses and hearing aids -  Accepted items includes prescription eyeglasses of any size, readers, sunglasses, clip on sunglasses, fit-overs, safety goggles and swim goggles. Frames must be intact with no breakage but It is OK to have scratched lenses. If a screw is missing but the lens/lenses are there, keep parts together.  Also collected are hearing aids, hearing aid batteries and other hearing aid accessories. These items will be collected by the Lions Club to be given to people in need worldwide.
Volunteers will be accepting new, unopened menstrual products for the Domestic Violence Resource Center, DVRC​
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menstrual products

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What We Won't Take
We cannot take any items that are not on the above list - Check with the Washington County What to Recycle and Where online tool which shows where to recycle items the closest to your address. 
  • No plastic bags will be accepted. These can to taken to many local stores including Safeway/Albertsons, Fred Meyers, Winco, and New Seasons.
  • No styrofoam or #6 plastics will be accepted. These can be taken to Agilyx in Tigard.
  • No #2, #3, #4, #7 plastics and no plastics missing the #1 or #5 code. Find opportunities to recycle other rigid plastics by visiting the James Recycling website.
  • NO torn or dirty clothing. Clothing in good condition is accepted at several non-profits including Goodwill and The Assistance League of Greater Portland.
  • Please be prepared to haul away items you bring that can't be accepted

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​Information Tables
Learn more about important topics to boost your knowledge!
  • Reduce, Reuse and Repair tips
  • Preventing and reducing wasted food with Eat Smart, Waste Less
  • Recycling at home
  • Reducing your use of single-use items
  • Learn how to make your own Green Cleaners to reduce toxics in the home
  • ​Master Recycler program trains citizens on recycling and sustainable practices
  • ​350 Washington County, a local chapter of 350.org, an international organization dedicated to fighting climate change ​​
  • ​and more!!

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​Have Fun!
​This is a volunteer-driven event and we would really like for you to enjoy yourself. 
PlanetCon poster (English) - 8.5X11 inch size
PlanetCon poster (Spanish) - 8.5x11 inch size 
This FREE event is brought to you by the Westside Planet Alliance with the support of Washington County Solid Waste & Recycling, Metro, the City of Hillsboro, and the Hillsboro School District.

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​Learn more about helping the Earth

REDUCE
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Reduce your consumption of nature's resources as much as possible. For example, reduce car trips by biking, taking public transportation or consolidating trips. Take shorter showers. Lower the heat and put on a sweater. Replace your lawn with low-water-use native plants. Buy products with minimum packaging. Cook at home more often and reduce fast-food and take-out which uses disposable items. Buy food in bulk and bring your own containers if possible. Don't buy items you don't need-take photos for a souvenir instead. Make your own cleaners instead of expensive cleaners with chemicals. Give gifts of experiences not just more "stuff".  
REFUSE unnecessary items including plastic straws, free junky items at events, paper napkins, and extra single servings of condiments (ketchup, hot sauce). 
REUSE
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Buy reusable products. Begin with a reusable water bottle and drink cup instead of buying beverages in single-use, disposable cups. Take reusable bags to the grocery store, including produce bags. Rent or borrow tools and items that you won't use frequently. The local libraries are wonderful sources of everything from books to movies, games, appliances, music, and more. Buy used items at thrift stores and garage sales instead of buying new. Participate in swap events.  Use cloth napkins, towels, and tissues at home to replace paper products.
REPAIR items that break: Metro area Repair/Fixit Fairs help fix broken items at no charge. Youtube has many "how-to-fix" videos. Learn how to mend your own clothes.
RECYCLE
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When items aren't reusable, try to recycle them.  Glass, clean paper products, metal cans and plastic tubs, jugs and bottles can be put in curbside containers at single-family residences. What can't be recycled curbside can often be recycled at other places. Far West Recycling takes everything from cooking oil to electronics. Use a worm or compost bin to turn food scraps into rich, natural fertilizer for your garden.