Annually, thousands of people tour Rumpke's landfills and recycling centers to learn more about what happens to their trash and recycling. Make a landfill or recycling tour part of your classroom curriculum or a learning opportunity for your organization.
Landfill Tours
A landfill tour includes a brief history of the company and an explanation of truck types. The bus then travels around the landfill while a trained guide shows guests what happens after garbage leaves their homes. Methane gas removal and recovery, leachate (waste water) collection, surface water controls and other points of interest, including recycling facts, are explained. The tour concludes with a description of standard landfill closure processes and future landfill property use.
Before scheduling a landfill tour, please consider the following:
- Tours of Rumpke’s Colerain Township Landfill take place on Thursdays only. Tours of Rumpke's Brown County, Ohio, Landfill are available Monday-Friday, depending on tour guide availability.
- Tours must be scheduled at least 2 months in advance.
- Tours last approximately 1 hour.
- Tours are free.
- Tours are conducted year round from the safety of a bus.
- Your school or organization may provide the transportation. At Rumpke’s Colerain Township Landfill, guests may also request use of Rumpke’s 21-passenger bus on site. At Rumpke’s Brown County, Ohio, Landfill, guests may request use of Rumpke’s passenger bus on site. Groups must provide their own transportation at other Rumpke sites.
- Rumpke reserves the right to cancel tours because of unfavorable weather conditions or safety concerns.
- As a safety precaution, all tour participants must be Kindergarten-age or older.
- Groups must have at least 10 tour participants. We will attempt to accommodate individuals and smaller groups by adding them to other smaller groups.
Schedule a landfill tour.
If you are unable to attend a landfill tour, or if you want to learn more before scheduling, please check out these videos.
Recycling Tours
During a walking tour of the facility, guests will learn about the technology used at our state-of-the-art facilities and see recyclables sorted and separated. The tour also includes an explanation of acceptable and unacceptable materials, an overview of Rumpke's recycling operations and an opportunity for questions.
Before scheduling a recycling tour, please consider the following:
- Rumpke offers tours of its Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio, facilities, by appointment only.
- Tours of Rumpke's Cincinnati facility are typically offered on Wednesdays, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
- Columbus tours can be scheduled on weekdays between 8 a.m. - 2 p.m.
- Tours may be cancelled or rescheduled because of extreme weather conditions.
- Tours must be scheduled at least 2 months in advance.
- Tours last approximately one hour.
- Tours are free.
- Groups must provide their own transportation to the facility. Because of parking limitations at the sites, groups are encouraged to car pool.
- As a safety precaution, tour participants must be at least of high school-age to walk through the plant.
- Guests must be able to climb flights of stairs without assistance (an elevator is available at the Cincinnati facility; however, if participants are unable to climb stairs, the tour will be limited).
- The Columbus facility tours are for 10 people at a time. We will attempt to accommodate individuals and smaller groups by adding them to other smaller groups. Larger groups may be considered.
- The Cincinnati facility requires a minimum of 10 tour participants and a maximum of 20 participants. We will attempt to accommodate individuals and smaller groups by adding them to other smaller groups. Larger groups may be considered.
- Tour guests are required to wear sturdy, hard soled, closed toe shoes with backs (no sandals or heels). Long pants and long sleeves are recommended. Guests who don't abide by the dress code are not permitted inside the facility.
- The tours occur in an industrial environment and may not be appropriate for individuals with medical conditions impacted by dust or noise. Additionally, the facilities have several magnets that may impact medical devices.
Schedule a recycling center tour.
If you are unable to attend a recycling tour, or if you want to learn more before scheduling, please check out these videos.
