The more than 300,000 households in Ramsey and Washington counties — including St. Paul — soon will be able to recycle food scraps curbside in what promises to be the biggest innovation in East Metro residential recycling since the advent of curbside pickup of plastics, metals and paper three decades ago.
Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy broke ground this spring on a more than $40 million expansion at its Newport facility to make room for high-tech robotics that will sift out the biodegradable bags residents will use to dispose of food scraps in their trash bins. The goal is to start curbside pickup for single-family homes, apartments and condos in late 2022.
Nicole Stewart, Washington County’s senior environmental resource manager, said capturing food waste — which makes up 25% of trash — will help achieve the state’s recycling goals for metro counties. “This is really that next wave of capturing and getting those additional recyclables,” she said.
The east metro collaboration will be one of the largest curbside organics recycling programs in Minnesota. Minneapolis and about 60 other cities across the state currently have curbside organics recycling but in most places, it’s a city-by-city effort, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). The Ramsey/Washington program will add more than 50 new communities to the list, with a combined population of more than 800,000. “It will be a big addition in terms of access to curbside organics recycling,” said Tim Farnan, principal planner at the MPCA. “I know there are a lot of folks clamoring to have this service here. They are excited to see it come online.”