The Rumpke Recycling & Resource Center is the NWRA Recycling Facility of the Year for 2025!
By Leah Dietle, Rumpke's East Area Communications Assistant
On October 21, 2025, The Rumpke Recycling & Resource Center in Columbus, Ohio, was named National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) Recycling Facility of the Year for 2025.
Each year, the NWRA recognizes six recycling projects and programs that excel in the following areas:
- High standards of effective operations
- Expansion of public outreach
- Implementing leading technology
An independent group of industry professionals selected this year’s winners, and Rumpke’s Columbus material recovery facility fulfilled each of these requirements for the Recycling Facility of the Year Award.
“The Rumpke Recycling & Resource Center is confirmation that Rumpke is indeed the recycling leader. We are so grateful to bring the most beneficial recycling options to our customers,” said Bill Rumpke Jr., Rumpke President & CEO. “Congratulations to all those who helped bring this project to fruition. I couldn’t be prouder of our team’s insightful vision, perseverance and expertise. Together we’ve built and we’re operating North America’s most advanced and now award-winning recycling facility.”
The National Waste & Recycling Association (NWRA) will honor recycling projects and programs January 19-21 at the NWRA 2026 Industry Conference in San Diego.
Leading Recycling Innovation
This remarkable achievement and significant milestone for the facility was made possible by our expert partners and dedicated recycling team. Rumpke collaborated with long-time recycling equipment expert Machinex to design, build and install the plant equipment. The team also partnered with Columbus-based Moody-Nolan to design the facility and Elford Inc. to construct it.
The Ohio State University, COSI (Center of Science & Industry) and Holt Experiential also worked with us to develop the resources inside the facility, including the research area and the Rumpke Education Center.
These partnerships have allowed us to bring the “resource” part of the facility’s name to life. Where students can conduct research, the public can learn about recycling and community and industry partners can collaborate on sustainability initiatives.
Guests can schedule free tours of the facility by clicking below. We can’t wait to see you!
Over 90 Years of Recycling Dedication
The Rumpke family made recycling a core part of their business from the very beginning in the 1930s and introduced some of the country’s first curbside recycling in 1989. Today, Rumpke operates 16 recycling facilities and processes 1.3 billion pounds of recyclable material annually.
In 2024, Rumpke invested over 100 million dollars to construct The Rumpke Recycling & Resource Center, with a mission to support a robust circular economy in Central Ohio—one that reduces waste, protects the environment, conserves natural resources and preserves limited landfill space.
More About The Rumpke Recycling & Resource Center
- The facility can process up to 250,000 tons of recycling annually from nearly 50 Ohio counties at a rate of about 60 tons an hour.
- The Machinex technology inside this plant is like no other facility: four trommel sorters, ballistic separators, 19 optic sorters and AI.
- About 80% of the materials go to Ohio manufacturers for use in new product creation
- The facility also features a 3,000 square foot Rumpke Education Center built in conjunction with COSI and Holt Experiential.
To learn more about the facility’s history, visit its development timeline on our blog.
Visit The Rumpke Recycling & Resource Center
Our facility offers a unique and interactive educational space for the community—and best of all, it’s free! In the first year of operation alone, we hosted more than 100 tours, including nearly 2,500 visitors. Explore our education center’s exhibits, play recycling games and walk along the elevated tour platform to witness the recycling process in action.