International Compost Awareness Week

International Compost Awareness Week is a great opportunity to learn about composting and take action to compost more! Recovering organic material from trash helps us reach Minnesota’s recycling goals and provides health, environmental, and economic benefits to the community. Celebrate International Compost Awareness Week by participating in one of the activities listed below.  

Get started with backyard composting 

Leaves, grass, and plant trimmings can be combined with fruit and vegetable scraps in a home compost bin to create a nutrient-rich material for your lawn and garden. Want to get started? Washington County residents can buy discounted compost bins for $56. 

Learn more

Use a food scraps drop-off site  

Food scraps make up 20% of trash in Washington County. You can collect food scraps at home and then bring them to a Washington County drop-off site. The food scraps are then turned back into nutrient-rich soil (finished compost) at an industrial compost facility.  

Learn more  

Pick up free finished compost in May 

We're excited to offer free compost to Washington County residents during the month of May.  The finished compost is made from mixing food scraps with yard waste, at the SMSC compost site in Shakopee.

Environmental Center:  Bagged compost is available in the self-serve area. Limit: 2 bags per resident. 
See webpage for hours. 

Northern Yard Waste Site: Loose compost is available. Please bring your own shovel.  Limit: 1/2 cubic yard or size of small trailer.  See webpage for hours.

Finished compost is rich in nutrients and has many benefits, including promoting healthier plant growth, improving soil health, and preventing soil erosion. 

Learn how to use finished compost

Reduce the need for pesticides 

Pesticides, which include insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, are designed to kill weeds, insects, rodents, and mold. These chemicals can be poisonous and can pose a danger to animals and people, especially children. 

Keeping pests out of your home and yard in the first place eliminates the need for pesticides—and toxic chemicals. 

• Use tips from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency to maintain a healthy lawn and reduce the need for pesticides. 
• If pesticides are needed, avoid illegal products by ensuring the container has an EPA registration number, indicating the product has been evaluated by the EPA for safety.  
• Old or unwanted pesticides can be dropped off at the Environmental Center for safe disposal.