Landfill Tour Program

About the Program

Category: Civic Education and Public Information (Best in Category)

Year: 2017

• Description – This entry focuses on the formalization, standardization and revitalization of OC Waste & Recycling’s (OCWR) landfill tour program in 2016. OCWR is an agency of the County of Orange, Calif. It manages the County’s solid waste disposal system, including three of the nation’s largest active landfills, providing an essential public service for the region’s 3.1 million residents in 34 cities and 14 unincorporated areas and its businesses. • Purpose – Landfill Tours provide an opportunity for education and public engagement supporting two important aspects of the agency’s mission: waste disposal and recycling, as well as the agency’s connection to environmental stewardship. Tour guests include the general public in the form of students of all ages; youth groups and organizations; science teachers; related industry professionals; and current and future engineers, biologists, environmentalists, business and civic organization members and others. • Outcomes – A standardized, professional tour experience better satisfies the needs of guests, better ensures safety of guests and guides and helps deliver consistent public messaging. A better informed public can help keep recyclable materials out of the landfills, which preserves capacity and helps maintain a safe and healthy community for current and future generations.