Annually, thousands of people board buses and travel around Rumpke’s landfills or take a walking tour through one of our 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 begins with 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 exactly what happens after garbage leaves their homes. Methane gas removal, 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 Wednesdays only. Tours of other locations can be scheduled throughout the work week depending on tour guide availability.
• Tours last approximately 45 minutes. 
• 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 40-passenger bus on site. Groups must provide own transportation at other Rumpke sites.   
• The weather must be dry for a landfill tour. Rumpke reserves the right to cancel tours when precipitation causes slippery road conditions or other safety concerns. 
• As a safety precaution, all tour participants must be at least four (4) years old. 
• Groups must have at least 10 tour participants. We will attempt to accommodate individuals and smaller groups by adding them to other smaller groups.

Recycling Tours
A recycling tour begins with a brief history of the company and an overview of what can be recycled in Rumpke’s programs and what happens to the material once processed. Tour participants then suit up with provided safety equipment and enter the plant to see a series of machines and people quickly sort through tons of recyclables in a matter of minutes.

Before scheduling a recycling tour, please consider the following:

• Tours of Rumpke’s recycling centers take place Monday through Friday, and depend on tour guide availability.
• Tours last approximately one hour.
• Tours are free.
• Groups must provide their own transportation to the plant.
• As a safety precaution, tour participants must be at least of high school-age to walk through the plant.
• As an additional safety precaution, guests must be able to climb at least 30 stairs without assistance.
• Groups must have at least 10 tour participants. We will attempt to accommodate individuals and smaller groups by adding them to other smaller groups.
• Tour participants must wear closed-toe shoes to enter plant.
• Due to popularity, we recommend you call to schedule at least one month in advance.