Talking Trash: Tour the Phoenix sorting facility for recyclables

Thursday, March 23, 2017
10:50 a.m.

What happens to your trash and recyclables after they are collected from the curbside blue bins? Find out on a tour of the city-owned transfer station where the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) is also located. The city of Phoenix has a goal to divert 40% of trash from the landfill by 2020 and to achieve zero waste by the year 2050. The Public Works Department provides various solid waste programs to divert and capture as much material as possible to be reused, repurposed, or recycled.

The North Gateway Transfer Station is one of two transfer stations owned by the City of Phoenix. It became operational in 2006 and receives trash and recycling that has been collected from North Phoenix. The facility is about 43 acres. Half of the facility serves as a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) which sorts and bails recycling; the other half serves as a transfer station where waste is dropped off and loaded onto 18-wheelers before being transported to the landfill. Tours of the facility take place in the viewing gallery, where visitors can watch each step of the recycling process and glimpse how the transfer station operates.
    
This kid-friendly tour, which will take place inside the facility, away from the machines and noise, will last approximately 1 hour. For a short video preview, visit this web site.

The North Gateway Transfer Station is located at 30205 N Black Canyon Hwy, Phoenix, north of the 101. Taking the I-17N, get off at the Dixileta exit. Please enter the facility through Gate 3 and park in the visitor parking lot. We will meet in the administrator/visitor office.
    
$5 per adult (16 years and older). Children aged 15 and under must pre-register but may attend for free. Registration deadline: Registration deadline: Tuesday, March 21, 2017

For event questions, please contact Julie Zagars at jnz1@cornell.edu.

For event registration questions, please contact Donna Carl at dc37@cornell.edu.