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The Garbage Garage Education Center
(970) 498-5772 (for more info or to schedule tours)
(970) 498-5775 (direct line to Garbage Garage)
Hours: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Other hours may be arranged by appointment.
Who says learning about trash can’t be fun? Not the visitors to the Garbage Garage, Larimer County’s new waste and recycling education center. Located at the Larimer County Landfill in southern Fort Collins, the center had its grand opening in April 2003, and is now available for scheduled tours.
Have you ever wondered how a landfill works? Or what gets made out of all that stuff we recycle? Maybe your kids need to learn how to safely deal with household hazardous waste. (The average household is home to more than 60 hazardous materials at any given time, you know!)
You’ll begin your adventure through the Garbage Garage by entering the “Mountain of Trash,” a tunnel-like hallway where you’ll be surrounded by trash. Meet Patty Packrat, the Garbage Garage “spokesrat,” who appears on several displays throughout the center. In the tunnel, you and your friends or family will learn how much trash you create, where it goes and what it’s made up of. (Did you know that 44 percent of residential trash buried in our landfill is paper?)
From there, choose from a variety of exits into areas depicting methods of handling waste: reducing, reusing, recycling or landfilling. Enter the kitchen/garage area to learn what household hazardous wastes are and how to safely handle them. Watch a short slide presentation about electronics scrap, or view one of our many videos about recycling, composting, solid waste or hazardous waste. The various displays attract interest from a wide range of age groups, from elementary students to adults.
You can also step outside and relax on our recycled plastic picnic tables or benches. Kids will enjoy bouncing around on the colorful playground cover made from recycled tires.
Sound interesting? Call (970) 498-5772 to arrange a visit. All sorts of trashy fun awaits you!
Important Tour Information
Garbage Garage Scavenger Hunts
Garbage Garage brochure [pdf]
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