Curbside Organics Recycling

Thank you for your support for organics recycling and feedback.  We will consider this in our long-term goals for the program.

The City will likely supply residents with some compostable bags at the start of the program when organics carts are delivered.  We are investigating the costs of continually supplying compostable bags to residents.  

The haulers will be able to take organics to any appropriately permitted organics processing facility.  Currently, there are two commercial composting facilities in the metro-area where our organics can be processed, including the Shakopee-Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) Organics Recycling Facility, in Shakopee, or Specialized Environmental Technologies (SET)/The Mulch Store  in Rosemount, MN.

The finished compost is sold to and used by several different markets, including state agencies, counties, and cities, as well sold to landscapers, farmers, and gardeners.   The compost is used in highway projects, for erosion control, lakeshore bank restoration, applied on new development projects, on farms, and in community and backyard gardens.  

Organics will be taken to a commercial composting facility for processing.  The finished compost is owned and sold by the commercial composting facility.  We understand the benefit of providing some compost back to residents to use in their own backyards, and are considering how some compost could be provided to residents who participate in organics recycling.  There would be a cost to the City to purchase the compost, and we are looking into that further.    

Residents can opt-out of garbage and recycling program entirely, including organics recycling.   To opt-out of garbage and recycling program, residents must fill out an application and submit to the city proof that they are self-hauling garbage and recycling.  The City has the right to monitor and request additional proof from residents to ensure they are continuing to self-haul materials.   

We have looked at different models for how to make organics recycling service available to residents, we have considered different ways to fund the program.  We have found that looking at this service as a system, where it is accessible to all garbage and recycling customers, makes organics recycling service available for everyone and more affordable for residents overall.  Having a system-wide approach means we can negotiate for volume pricing with the haulers.   Keeping the prices affordable and having the service accessible also helps to ensure residents will use the organics program.  

Organics will be collected weekly, on the same day as garbage collection.

A fee for organics collection will be charged to all residents in the City’s garbage and recycling program.  The city uses this system-wide approach with regular recycling, which is paid for by all residents, as well.   As we have looked at different models for how to make organics recycling service available to residents, we have considered different ways to fund the program.  We have found that looking at this service as a system, where it is accessible to all garbage and recycling customers, makes organics recycling service available for everyone and more affordable for residents overall.  Having a system-wide approach means we can negotiate for volume pricing with the haulers.   Keeping the prices affordable and having the service accessible also helps to ensure residents will use the organics program.  

Because the organics are taken to a commercial composting facility, there are items that can be collected that should not be composted in a backyard pile, including meat and dairy products, other greasy foods and certified compostable products like disposable cups, bowls and plates.  Backyard piles are not large enough to create enough heat to break down these items and kill any pathogens and bacteria from meat and dairy products.  Some households might choose to use both a backyard compost pile as well for items like fruits and vegetables and use the city’s program for those added materials like meat scraps, dairy, and compostable paper products that can be diverted and composted at a commercial composting facility. 

We are considering how the finished compost created at the commercial composting facility compost could be provided to residents who participate in organics recycling.   There would be a cost to the City to purchase the compost, and we are investigating this further.   

The City is adding organics recycling to our current solid waste and recycling program, which provides service to single family homes, duplexes and some townhomes that have opted in to the City’s solid waste program.  If you live in an apartment, townhome or condo with private garbage and recycling service, you can talk with your property manager about signing up for private organics recycling service.

Properties can request organics hauling service from some garbage haulers for a fee. Check if your current trash and recycling hauler provides organics for composting hauling service.  There is assistance available to cover some of the startup costs through Hennepin County business recycling grants.

The City will continue to operate drop-off sites for residents after curbside organics is rolled out.  There is no charge to use these sites, but you do need to sign up to use them.  Learn more and sign up to use the drop-offs on the City’s website. 

The City will likely supply residents with some compostable bags at the start of the program when organics carts are delivered.  We are investigating the costs of continually supplying compostable bags to residents.  

We understand the benefit of providing some compost back to residents to use in their own backyards, and are considering how some compost could be provided to residents who participate in organics recycling.  There would be a cost to the City to purchase the compost, and we are looking further into the possibility of providing finished compost.