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A photo of many cans in clear plastic bags at Ground Score Association's The People's Depot in Southeast Portland Oregon
Ground Score Association The People's Depot Container Redemption Center Portland Oregon

The People's Depot (TPD) is a beverage container redemption center located at 800 SE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR 97214 (under the Morrison Bridge) that is open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 12 pm. It is operated by canners, for canners—people who collect cans and bottles for income. Ground Score started TPD as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic when Oregon stopped enforcing its Bottle Bill and canners were left with few places to redeem cans and bottles.

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All aluminum cans and plastic and glass beverage containers that are redeemable for Oregon's 10 cent deposit are accepted at TPD. Currently, TPD accepts up to 400 containers per person per day.

Photo showing Arthur, a worker at The People's Depot, standing, looking to the right with a slight smile, and holding two large clear plastic bags filled with recyclable bottles and cans. Arthur has a black mustache and a dark complexion. He is wearing a gray beanie, gray and black jacket, and brown and white shirt. Behind him, another worker is walking by. In the background is a concrete wall at the depot, which is located in Portland, Oregon under the Morrison Bridge.
Ground Score Association The People's Depot

TPD processes about 38,000 beverage containers daily for recycling and serves 100+ canners. One of the most efficient redemption centers in town, TPD serves a person a minute. The People’s Depot was initially supported by the City of Portland and is now funded by the Oregon Beverage Recycling Cooperative and private donations.  

Ground Score Association The People's Depot Circular Economy

The People’s Depot generates formal, benefitted jobs for workers with a background in informal can and bottle collection, serves hundreds of canners a week in the Central Eastside. In 2024, it prevented the emission of at least 2,530 tons of CO2 equivalent.

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Photo of a Ground Score worker smiling and sorting empty bottles and cans for recycling at The People's Depot in Portland, Oregon. She is wearing a gray sweater, long earrings, two pendants, black-framed glasses, and black work gloves. Her brown hair is tied in a bun on the top of her head. In the background is another worker, multiple tall rectangular boxes, a dark-colored vehicle, and the underside of the bridge the depot is located under. Beyond the bridge is a tree.

Photo by Brodie Cass Talbott

Heart-shaped recycle icon

A generous sponsor has agreed to match $50,000 from new donors in 2025. This means each donation will be doubled! Especially in these uncertain times, raising $100,000 or more will make a huge positive difference on our ability to grow with our programs and keep providing income opportunities to Portland’s waste pickers. Help us secure the match by making a contribution today.

Graphic that reads "The People's Depot in a snapshot"

Total containers processed at TPD:

2024: 9,450,650 (an average of 787,554 per month)

2023: 7,500,439 (an average of 625,036 per month)

2022: 3,957,818 (an average of 329,818 per month)

2021: 3,834,424 (an average of 319,535 per month)  

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Average # of people served per hour: 

2024: 60 customers per hour

2023: 60 customers per hour 

2022: 49 customers per hour

2021: 31 customers per hour

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Total customers served in 2024: 31,747

Number of payroll workers: 11 (as of March 27, 2025)

Photo showing the People's Depot in Portland, Oregon in operation, which is located under a road bridge. In the foreground are three large trash bags full of bottles and cans in the bottom corners of the image, plus a white sign with dark letters that reads "The People's Depot open 10 am-12 pm." The ground is made of pavement, and the sky is cloudy. About 8 recyclers are returning their bottles and cans, one of whom has a bike. Behind the recyclers are about 3 Ground Score workers counting the bottles and cans in small blue plastic kiddie pools being reused for that purpose on top of fold-up tables. Behind them is a shipping container that is used to store bags of bottles and cans.
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