THE DIRT

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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The SMSC Organics Recycling Facility is one of only two sites in the Twin Cities metro area that compost food waste on a large scale. The other site is owned by Specialized Environmental Technologies. Both facilities take in tons of waste every year from grocery stores, restaurants, businesses, and homes….
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All too often, material that is compostable—able to be broken down and returned to the earth safely—ends up in a landfill where it can actually be harmful. Organic material that ends up buried in a landfill undergoes the process of anaerobic decomposition, eventually generating and emitting methane into the air….
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We are in the middle of a worldwide pandemic and things are constantly changing and evolving, including the SMSC Organics Recycling Facility. The health and safety of our employees, guests, Community Members, neighbors, and the public is our top concern. We are taking a vigilant approach while information about COVID-19…
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