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Programs

Household Organics Recycling

Year-round | Available during open hours

By composting at home, you help keep organics out of landfills, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create nutrient-rich soil.

How to Join

1. Register

Register Now

2. Collect: Set up a system at home to collect food scraps. You can use odor-reducing buckets designed for organics collection. For extra freshness, freeze your scraps until drop-off.

3. Drop Off: Bring your organics to Dakota Prairie Composting during regular business hours. Check in with the scale attendant, show your participant card, and drop your scraps in the designated dumpster.

4. Repeat: Collect and drop off regularly—and encourage others to join!

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?

Anyone can participate by registering here.

How much does the Household Organics Recycling Program cost?

The Household Organics Recycling Program is free for residents who register.

Which items are accepted in the program?

Acceptable Items:

  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Meat, fish and bones
  • Dairy products
  • Eggs and eggshells, and paper egg cartons
  • Bread and cereal
  • Nuts and shells
  • Soiled napkins and paper towels
  • Coffee grounds and filters
  • Tea bags with paper filters
  • BPI-certified compostable or PLA cups, plates, bowls, and utensils
  • Houseplant trimmings

Unacceptable Items

  • Large amounts of cooking grease or oil
  • Cartons (milk cartons, juice boxes, soup, and wine cartons)
  • Diapers and sanitary products
  • Animal waste and litter
  • Refrigerated and frozen food boxes
  • Pizza boxes
  • Microwave popcorn bags
  • Fast food wrappers
  • Cleaning or baby wipes
  • Containers that aren’t BPI-certified as compostable
  • Recyclable items such as glass, metal, paper, or plastic
  • Yard waste
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. 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 Dakota Prairie Composting.

When and where can I drop off organic food waste?

Drop-off is available during standard Dakota Prairie Composting business hours (hours change seasonally). Dakota Prairie Composting is located at 12386 Chestnut Blvd, Shakopee, MN 55379. To drop off, simply check in with the scale attendant, show your participant card, 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.