THE DIRT

When pulling up to the SMSC Organics Recycling Facility, the scale house is the first point of contact for all customers. These employees are responsible for all transactions that happen at the facility—including ringing up customers, directing them where to go in the yard to find the correct product, and…
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Since opening in the fall of 2011, the SMSC Organics Recycling Facility staff has grown to a team of 15 full-time employees and three part-time scale attendants. So what do all of these employees do? Over the next several months, we will answer just that! First, let’s meet the operators….
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From backyard bins and household organics programs to large-scale facilities and statewide initiatives, the SMSC Organics Recycling Facility supports all types of composting. Celebrated nationwide each year during the first full week of May, International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) is the largest and most comprehensive education initiative of the compost…
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USDA Organic. The Green Seal. Non-GMO. SelectScience. These “seals of approval” often convey a certain level of comfort to the buyer, promoting feelings of quality, trust, and safety. For the compost industry, the United States Composting Council (USCC) is the governing entity that sets the standards for this quality assurance….
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Since opening in the fall of 2011, the SMSC Organics Recycling Facility has supported the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community’s Dakota tradition of caring for the earth. Over the years, the facility has implemented new products and processes to better serve the Community and our neighbors. With the start of the…
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Unless you reside in a place where it’s relatively warm and mild year-round, chances are you have buried the garden shears and lawn mower deep in the garage. But just because you can’t see your green lawn doesn’t mean you can’t spend time thinking about it—and getting it ready for…
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After the holidays have come and gone, don’t throw your Christmas tree away! Instead, bring it to the SMSC Organics Recycling Facility where it will be repurposed into mulch, compost, and other useful products in an earth-friendly manner. Not only will you be doing the environment a favor, but you…
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You’d be surprised at the dirt-y (get it?) laundry list of items the SMSC Organics Recycling Facility accepts from residents! If you’re always stumped (how about that one) on what we take, check out this growing (last one, we promise) list of items we accept. Of course we can’t take…
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Pumpkin Recycling Program Returns After the trick-or-treaters have gone home and all of the pumpkin seeds have been roasted, what becomes of all those jack-o’-lanterns? Many people throw them out. In fact, over a billion pounds of pumpkin gets tossed into America’s landfills each year. When left to decompose in…
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