City of Tucson Environmental Services (ES) is offering a tour of the Los Reales Landfill and the ReCommunity, Inc. Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). Participants will get a ‘behind the scenes’ view and learn how ES operates the landfill and how recyclables collected in the blue barrel are sorted and marketed.

The first stop will be the ReCommunity recycling facility which opened in July 2012. The new facility has allowed ES to accept an expanded list of materials for recycling due to the state-of-the art equipment used for sorting materials. At the Los Reales Landfill, participants see how ES handles household hazardous waste and hear how construction of the landfill cells protects groundwater. Those on the tour also will see landfill operations and learn how methane gas generated at the landfill is used as a renewable energy source.

Tour participants will meet in the upper level parking lot at 4004 S. Park Avenue on Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 8:30 a.m. The tour will be complete by 12:15 p.m. Those who join the tour should wear long pants, closed-toe shoes, hats and sunscreen. Drinking water will be provided. The tour is not for children younger than age 14.

The tour is available on a first come basis. Show your love by booking your honey and yourself for a tour of the landfill. To reserve a seat, call ES at 791-3175 by Tuesday, February 12, 2013.

Contact:
Cristina Polsgrove
Environmental Services Department
520-837-3715
Cristina.Polsgrove@tucsonaz.gov

I can’t think of a better thing to do on Valentine’s Day except to eat a bunch of chocolate. I’ve toured the Los Reales Landfill (soon maybe Landfull?) and it is an eye-opening tour about what people consider waste.