The District offers free field trips, including transportation. To qualify for these, schools must be registered with the District’s Recycling Assistant Program (RAP), be willing to teach 3 classroom hours about municipal solid waste issues, and agree to distribute and discuss Hamilton County’s “Get-a-Bin” brochure. The following are descriptions for these popular field trips:

Grades: 2–6
Location: Civic  Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati
Students learn about composting, healthy soil, and environmentally friendly gardening from Master Gardeners while participating in a number of hands-on activities. The trip takes about 3½ hours, not including transportation time, and is limited to a maximum of 30 students per day. With only 10 trips offered each spring and fall, space is limited, so be sure to submit applications early. Completed Compost Kids applications may be faxed to the District at (513) 946-7779.

Need a Free Bus? If you are teaching at least 3 classroom hours about landfills, recycling, composting, or other municipal solid waste issues, agree to distribute and discuss Hamilton County’s "Get a Bin" brochure, and register your school in the RAP program, you could qualify for bus transportation reimbursement to the landfill, recycling center, or other locations with municipal solid waste education programs. Completed Travel Reimbursement Program applications can be faxed to (513) 946-7779.

Where Does All the Garbage Go?
Rumpke Landfill Tour and Cincinnati Parks Nature Center Recycling Program

Grades: 3–8
Location: Colerain Township and LaBoiteaux Woods
This two-part trip includes a tour of the Rumpke landfill and a demonstration of recycling in nature at LaBoiteaux Woods Nature Center. At Rumpke, students witness up-close views of an active, working landfill. A Rumpke representative guides students to various operation sites, such as the working face, the methane gas recovery system, the truck wash, and parts of the mining operation. Students learn about Rumpke’s history, the different vehicles used, and the many ways our environment is protected from this mountain of garbage. The 45-minute tour at Rumpke Landfill is entirely on a bus. At Cincinnati Parks LaBoiteaux Woods, students will participate in an interactive program that includes a hike to observe decomposition and natural cycles, followed by games and activities about recycling, composting, and natural cycles. Students will make comparisons of the many ways both ecosystems and humans recycle. The program is designed to present Ohio Content Standards related to renewable and non-renewable resources, and reducing and recycling solid waste. Completed Where Does All the Garbage Go? applications may be faxed to the District at (513) 946-7779.

Grades: 1–12
Location: Colerain Township
The tour begins with a brief history of the company and a demonstration of how trucks are weighed. Rumpke’s tour bus then travels around the landfill while the guide explains exactly what happens after garbage leaves our homes. Tours are offered on Wednesdays, and last approximately 45 minutes. E-mail Sara Cullin or call (513) 741-2617 to schedule this field trip.