Deschutes County to host free shred events across region in 2026
Tracee Tuesday
DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — Residents across Central Oregon will have several shredding events this year, to safely dispose of sensitive documents, unused medications and worn American flags during a series of free community shred events.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, in partnership with Republic Services, announced four events scheduled between March and September at locations throughout the county, including Bend, La Pine, Sisters and Terrebonne.
The first event is set for March 21 at the sheriff’s main office on U.S. Highway 20 west of Bend. Additional events will take place June 13 in La Pine, July 18 in Sisters and Sept. 19 in Terrebonne. Each runs from 10 a.m. to noon, or until the shred truck reaches capacity.
The program is aimed at helping local residents protect personal information while also providing safe disposal options for medications that might otherwise pose a risk if left in homes.
Organizers say the service is limited to residential use and is not intended for businesses. Participants may bring up to four boxes of documents per household. Paper clips and staples are allowed, but plastic bags and three-ring binders will not be accepted.
In addition to shredding, each event will include medication disposal. Accepted items include prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins and pet medications. Items such as sharps, inhalers and pressurized containers will not be accepted.
Community members can also drop off worn or damaged American flags for proper retirement, and donate nonperishable food items that will go to local food banks.
Those with larger amounts of material are encouraged to contact Republic Services for additional disposal options.
The sheriff’s office says the events are designed to make it easy for residents across Deschutes County to securely clear out unwanted items while supporting the broader community.