Beyond Toxics giveaway for west Eugene air conditioners quickly claimed

West Eugene residents snapped up Beyond Toxics’ free cooling offer before the signup window closed, claiming more than 50 portable air conditioners, air purifiers and replacement filters for homes trying to stay ahead of summer heat and wildfire smoke.

The giveaway was limited to households inside a mapped West Eugene boundary and to people facing higher health risks. Beyond Toxics said eligible homes had to include someone at risk of heat-related illness, qualify for OHP, SNAP or other government assistance, or lack an existing air conditioner or air purifier. Pickup was set for Friday, May 16, and the group listed community organizer Arjorie Arberry-Baribeault as the contact for questions.

Beyond Toxics described the program as part of its West Eugene Clean Energy Project, an expansion of the Bethel Clean Energy Project. The nonprofit said the goal was to put energy-efficient cooling and filtration equipment directly into homes so residents could stay cool, healthy and safe during the months when heat and smoke put the most strain on indoor air.

That need is easy to see in Lane County. The Eugene-Springfield area ranked among the top five worst U.S. cities for year-round particle pollution in the American Lung Association’s 2025 State of the Air report. The Lane County Regional Air Protection Agency has said wildfire smoke, car idling and wood stoves all affect local air quality, leaving many neighborhoods with little relief when outdoor conditions deteriorate.

The giveaway also fits a larger public-health emergency in Oregon. State cooling work has been tied to the deadly summer 2021 heat wave, when at least 100 Oregonians died from heat-related illnesses, often in their own homes. During heat events, the Oregon Health Authority directs people to call 211 to find cooling centers.

West Eugene carries its own history of environmental concern. The former J.H. Baxter wood-treatment plant operated there from 1943 until it closed in January 2022, and the Oregon Health Authority published a final health consultation report on the area on August 21, 2024 after hearing from 13 community members. Beyond Toxics held a similar distribution in July 2023 with the Oregon Health Authority, giving away 96 air conditioners to Eugene-Springfield households. The units were claimed quickly then, too, and the group said it hoped to repeat the effort annually.