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Food scraps make up about 20% of trash by weight collected in Ramsey and Washington counties. The counties are developing a new way to recover this material so that it can be turned back into soil, rather than becoming waste. Recovering food scraps from trash will help reach the state’s recycling goals and provide health, environmental, and economic benefits to the community.
Reducing waste is the most environmentally preferred strategy for waste management. Food that goes uneaten wastes money and resources, and negatively impacts the environment. Ramsey and Washington counties offer resources and education to support food waste reduction and will continue to do so. Learn more about food waste reduction.
Food scrap bags are a more efficient and cost-effective method of collecting food scraps from Ramsey and Washington County residents’ homes than a separate collection cart because:
Ramsey and Washington counties are funding parts of this program (food scrap bags, customer service, website and education) with funds from the County Environmental Charge (CEC) that each county collects. This service charge is included on your waste collection bill and funds both counties’ waste programs.
The improvements at the Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy Center to separate food scrap bags from the trash for composting are funded by a grant from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, which was part of the 2020 Minnesota State bonding bill. Facility improvements are also funded by the fee that trash haulers pay to deliver trash to the R&E Center.
The food scraps pickup program model has not been implemented at this scale before. To ensure the program is successful, Ramsey and Washington counties are rolling out the program in phases and planning to make adjustments as needed. Each phase will include new eligible areas. The timeline of these phases is subject to change and will be adjusted as the counties learn more about how to make the program successful.
Throughout rollout, only eligible areas within the counties will have their food scrap bags sorted. More information about program rollout can be found here.
Yes. The food scraps pickup program will be one part of a larger system for collecting food scraps. You may prefer the drop-off sites or backyard composting - do what works best for you!
Ramsey and Washington counties are launching a robust educational campaign on how to participate in the program, how to receive food scrap bags, and what materials are accepted. Consistent, frequent messaging will continue during and after the program rollout.
Food scraps are collected using special bags, called “food scrap bags,” that are co-collected in the same container with trash. With this system, food scraps bags and bags of trash all go in the same trash can.
Food scrap bags must be placed in your residential trash cart, dumpster or trash chute in eligible areas in order to be collected and sorted. Do not place food scrap bags in dumpsters or trash carts that are not eligible to participate in the program.
After collection, the food scrap bags are separated from the trash bags and brought to an industrial compost facility, where the food scraps are composted.
After you place your food scrap bag inside your trash cart, dumpster or trash chute, your trash is collected as usual. Only food scrap bags used at home and placed in residential trash carts, dumpsters or trash chutes will be collected and sorted. Your trash hauler will pick up your trash—with the food scrap bags—on your regular collection day.
The trash is brought to the Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy Center (R&E) in Newport, where the food scrap bags are separated from your trash by machinery that is programmed to recognize and separate the bags.
The food scrap bags and their contents are then sent to an industrial composting facility and turned into nutrient-rich soil called “compost.”
Ramsey and Washington counties have worked together to manage waste responsibly since the 1980s. Today, the counties work jointly through R&E. All trash generated by individuals and businesses in the two counties is delivered to R&E.
Robotic sorting technology will be used to separate the food scrap bags from the trash. Video of the robots sorting food scrap bags is available to view on the learn more page.
You can order them on our website or by calling 651-661-9393 (multi-lingual options available). Food scrap bags are shipped directly to your household.
Not at this time.
There is no one correct set up to participate in the food scraps pickup program! There are many different kinds and sizes of containers that can be used for food scrap collection. We recommend finding a container and place to keep it that works best for you. See possible storage and set up options.
Using food scrap bags is just a different way of collecting the same material that's currently going in your trash. Like your trash, if you take your food scrap bags out to your garbage cart or dumpster regularly, odors should not be an issue.
No, Ramsey and Washington counties are not providing collection containers for the food scraps pickup program.
No. Pizza boxes take up a lot of space in food scrap bags and aren't the main material that the program is intending to collect. Even better than composting pizza boxes is to recycle them! Many recycling haulers will collect pizza boxes for recycling. Check with your recycling hauler on whether they accept pizza boxes. If not, you can bring pizza boxes to a county food scraps drop-off site. Information is available for Ramsey County drop-off sites and Washington County drop-off sites.
Yes! Just put your food scrap bags in your building’s trash cart or dumpster.
Food scrap bags and program participation are FREE to residents in both Ramsey and Washington counties.
The food scraps pickup program started rolling out to residents of Ramsey and Washington counties in 2023 with an initial pilot of the program. Following the pilot, the program will roll out to the rest of Ramsey and Washington County residents in phases. You can check if you’re eligible to participate here, and visit the program rollout page to learn more.
Yes, all residents of Ramsey and Washington counties can participate regardless of hauler.
No, you do not need to sign up with your hauler.
No. This is a voluntary, opt-in program.
Not at this time. Ramsey and Washington counties are exploring this possibility.
Compost derived from yard waste is seasonally available at Ramsey County yard waste sites for free to residents. Washington County is exploring this option at its yard waste sites.
Contact your waste hauler to report a missed pickup.
Food scrap bags are durable and compostable. They are thicker than the compostable bags currently used at county drop-off sites, and those sold in retail stores or online. Food scrap bags are designed to withstand the journey in a garbage truck. The bags are also certified compostable, designed to eventually break down along with their contents. Compostable bags that are not provided by Ramsey and Washington counties will not work for this program.
Food scrap bags come in two sizes:
In program testing, the smaller bag size (6-gallon) was the preferred size for most households, but choose the bag size that you think would work best for you. Consider the following factors:
Not at this time.
Smaller bags cannot be detected by the machinery that separates the food scrap bags from the trash.
A complete list of items that can and cannot be put in your food scrap bags is available on our Learn More page.
Food scrap bags do not need to be filled to any minimum level to be sorted, but we recommend changing your bag about once per week.
Tie the top of the food scrap bag like you would tie a balloon. You can see how to tie your food scrap bag by watching this video. Tying the bags correctly helps ensure that the bags and its contents make it through the collection and sorting process.
Consider ordering the larger (13-gallon) food scrap bags and leave more room at the top of the bag before tying. This can make it easier to tie.
Food scrap bags provided by Ramsey and Washington counties are specifically designed for this program. These bags are different than the ones offered at county food scraps drop-off sites, and those currently sold at retailers or online. The bags are about three times as thick as a grocery store plastic bag and meet special standards for strength. The counties have tested the bags in actual loads of garbage to make sure they don't break during transit. Compostable bags that are not provided by the county will not work for this program.
Put the torn food scrap bag and its contents into a new food scrap bag and put it in your trash cart or dumpster.
No, you must use food scrap bags provided by Ramsey and Washington counties which are designed to hold up on the trip in a garbage truck and be detected by machinery that will separate them from the trash. Other bags sold in stores or online will not be identified for separation and may not withstand the trip in a garbage truck.
Yes, but the bags must be BPI-certified and be put into a Ramsey and Washington county-provided food scrap bag for collection. Bags will only be sorted from the trash if they are inside county-provided bags. If you purchase other bags, look for the BPI certification logo pictured below.
No, the food scrap bags will not be identified for separation from the trash if they are inside a regular trash bag.
Unused food scrap bags should be stored in a cool, dry location. Excess moisture and heat may damage the bags. It is recommended that you use your supply of food scrap bags within a year from your order date.
Place the food scrap bags in an unexpired food scrap bag for collection with your trash, or bring them to a community drop-off site and place them in the food scraps dumpster.
You will be able to create an account and order food scrap bags when the program is available in your community. For more information about when you can start participating in the program, visit our program rollout page.
Ramsey and Washington counties are assessing how to provide residents with food scrap bags after their initial free supply. More information will be added to the program website once this process is determined. You will receive an email notification when you can order bags again.
For assistance in placing an order, you can call our 24/7 customer service line at 651-661-9393.
If your order was not received, you can call our 24/7 customer service line at 651-661-9393 to assist you with getting another order placed.
We do not accept returns. To dispose of bags, place unused food scrap bags in another food scrap bag for collection with your trash or bring them to a community food scraps drop-off site and place them in the food scraps dumpster. You can also give the bags to a friend or neighbor who is eligible to participate in the program.
Mailing addresses cannot be changed once an order is placed. Please call our 24/7 customer service line at 651-661-9393 to place a new order.
Not at this time.
Please call our 24/7 customer service line at 651-661-9393.
To change your password, log in to your account by clicking “Log In” from the top menu bar. Next, navigate to your account details by clicking “My Account” in the top menu bar. Click on the “Change Password” tab and enter the email address associated with your account. An email will be sent to you with a link to change your password.
If you have forgotten your password, please call our 24/7 customer service line at 651-661-9393, and an agent will help reset your password.
To reset your password, select “Log In” from the top menu bar. At the bottom of the pop-up, select “I forgot my password”. Type in the email associated with your account. A link to change your password will be sent to your email address.
You can also call our 24/7 customer service line at 651-661-9393 for assistance.
We welcome your input! The food scraps pickup program model has not been implemented at this scale before. Ramsey and Washington counties will be evaluating and adjusting the new program throughout the program rollout. Please use our contact form to provide us with your feedback.
Please call our 24/7 customer service line 651-661-9393 for help with additional questions.
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