PORTLAND, Ore. -- The Portland Business Alliance is unveiling a new machine Tuesday that will clean up crow droppings downtown.
The new machine is called the Poopmaster 6000, which is a funny name for a street cleaner. You will see it in the mornings, Monday through Friday, until the spring. It's job: cleaning up bird droppings.
The problem is that, in the winter, flocks of crows like to roost in the trees downtown. Their droppings cover the street, fences, and statues.
Portland Mall Management, INC and The Clean and Safe District have joined together in a partnership to clean up the area for people who live and walk downtown. The machine is owned and managed by PMMI.
An employee with Central City Concern’s Homeless-to-Work Program will operate the machine.
Terry Westfall is one of the many people who walk downtown every morning. He notices the crows and the mess they leave behind, and thinks a machine to clean up the droppings is a good idea.
“I think it would beautify the area. It would take the stench away, because it does kind of smell. And it would just make the city more attractive,” he said.
For now, PMMI is renting the machine for a couple thousand dollars a month, on a 6-month trial. Purchasing a Poopmaster 6000 is about $60,000, plus operating costs.
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