Committed to being a good neighbor and good steward of the earth, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) has partnered with Scott County to offer a free residential food waste drop-off program for county residents. By collecting and composting food scraps from your kitchen, you can reduce greenhouse gases and help create nutrient-rich soil amendments. Do your part to be more environmentally friendly, starting with organics recycling at home. Together we can keep organics out of the trash—and put this waste to better use!

  1. Sign Up
    Scott County residents must register for the Household Organics Recycling Program.
  2. Start Collecting

    Upon registering, residents will receive a free starter kit that includes program information, one food waste collection bucket, and 25 compostable food waste bags. The collection buckets are specially designed to reduce odors while collecting organics. To further reduce odors, you can freeze your household organics until you can drop them off at the SMSC Organics Recycling Facility.

  3. Drop Off
    A readily accessible, enclosed dumpster will be available for program participants during regular business hours at the SMSC Organics Recycling Facility. To drop off, simply check in with the scale attendant, show your participant card, head over to the designated dumpster, and ditch your scraps.
  4. Repeat!
    It’s that easy! Continue collecting and recycling to your heart’s content, and encourage fellow Scott County residents to do their part to keep organics out of the trash.
Register now

FAQ

Why compost food waste?

Up to 30% of what you throw in the trash is organic waste. By composting your household organics, such as food waste, you are helping to keep it out of landfills while also helping to create valuable soil amendments that can be used in landscaping and gardening.

Who can participate?

Scott County residents can participate and register here.

How much does the Household Organics Recycling Program cost?

The Household Organics Recycling Program is free to Scott County residents! The program is provided in part by funding from Scott County and Minnesota’s Local Recycling Development Grant.

Which items are accepted in the program?

Check out our list of acceptable materials

How do I collect the food waste?

After registering for the Household Organics Recycling Program, you will be contacted to pick up your free starter kit, which includes program information, one food waste collection bucket, and 25 compostable food waste bags.

What types of food waste bags can be used?

Household organics must be bagged in a BPI-certified compostable bag, a paper bag, or no bag. BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) is a third-party certification company. The BPI logo means the item was tested and certified to safely break down at a composting facility. BPI-certified compostable bags are available for purchase at many large retail stores, grocery stores, hardware stores, and online.

Will the food waste smell?

Organic food waste may smell similar to your typical garbage. The collection buckets are specially designed to reduce odors while collecting organics. To further reduce odors, you can freeze your household organics until you can drop them off at the SMSC Organics Recycling Facility.

When and where can I drop off organic food waste?

Drop-off is available during standard SMSC Organics Recycling Facility hours (hours change seasonally). The SMSC Organics Recycling Facility is located at 1905 Mystic Lake Drive South, Shakopee, MN 55379. To drop off, simply check in with the scale attendant, head over to the designated dumpster, and ditch your scraps.

What happens to the food waste once it has been collected?

Once received, your organic food waste will be turned into nutrient-rich soil amendments that can be used in landscaping and gardening.

Additional Resources

For additional information or questions, please contact the SMSC Organics Recycling Facility at 952.233.9191 or orfadmin@shakopeedakota.org

Provided in part by funding from Scott County and Minnesota’s Local Recycling Development Grant.