Environmental Learning Center Opens at Hyperion Treatment Plant

The Los Angeles Bureau of Sanitation on Mondayofficially opened its 20,000-square foot Environmental Learning Center at the Hyperion Treatment Plant in Playa del Rey.

The Environmental Learning Center (ELC), built with school and community groups in mind, features interactive exhibits that teach kids how to protect the environment through sustainable resource management, according to the center's website.

“I want to make sure that Los Angeles is a leader in combining environmental protection with economic growth," Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said in a news release. “This center will help prepare our kids for the jobs of tomorrow and encourage them to make choices that promote a healthier Los Angeles."

Exhibits at the new center include displays on wastewater recycling, watershed protection, a "green roof" covered in grass and irrigated with recycled water, a miniature wetland stocked with mosquito-eating fish and an 87-seat learning lab classroom, among other exhibits.

"The ELC is dedicated to inspiring future generations to protect public health and the environment through sustainable behaviors and practices," officials said in a release. "Visitors are encouraged to identify opportunities to take individual responsibility as environmental stewards, and make volunteer action in partnership with the City a part of their daily lives."

The Environmental Learning Center was created by completely renovating the Hyperion Plant's former administration building and is certified as a LEED gold facility for its environmental-friendly design.

The Environmental Learning Center is free and open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.. However, reservations are required to visit the facility. Reservations can be made for guided tours and visits by calling 310-648-5363 or by emailing san.elc@lacity.org.

According to the center's website, tours through the exhibits generally take two hours but visitors can stay for as long as four hours if desired. The center especially caters to school and community groups and brings "textbook and classroom learning to life," the website states.

The Environmental Learning Center is located at 12000 Vista del Mar, Playa del Rey. For more information, visit the center's website.