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Food Scraps Program in

Ramsey County

Join the Food Scraps Program in

Ramsey & Washington Counties!

By joining the food scraps program you will be taking your recycling to the next level? Did you know that up to a third of what we throw away is actually organic material, like food scraps? Instead of sending it to a landfill, our program helps you recycle your food scraps and protect the environment.

 

Look for our convenient, curbside food scrap pickup program in your city:

 

Ramsey County
North St. Paul, MN
Maplewood, MN


Washington County
Newport, MN
Cottage Grove, MN

 

Live in Another Community? You Can Still Participate!

If curbside pickup isn’t available in your city yet, you can still easily recycle your food scraps! Both counties offer free and convenient drop-off sites that are available for all residents to use.

Ramsey CountyWashington County

Give Your Food Scraps a New Life

The Food Scraps Pickup Program is an easy new way for residents of Ramsey and Washington counties to recycle food scraps right from home. This program is being introduced in phases over the next few years and will eventually be available to all residents in both counties.

 

01

Get Your Free Bags

Order your free annual supply of food scrap bags.

 

IMPORTANT: You must use the official bags provided by Ramsey and Washington counties. Other compostable bags are not compatible with our sorting system and will not be accepted.

02

Collect & Seal Your Scraps

Collect your food scraps in the provided bag. Once a week, or when the bag is full, tie a secure knot at the top to close it.

  • Pro-Tip: Tie the bag just like you would tie a balloon. This creates the best seal to prevent leaks.

03

Toss the Bag Correctly

Place your tied food scrap bag directly into your trash cart or dumpster.

  • YES: Place the bag inside your trash cart.
  • NO: Do not put the food scrap bag inside a regular trash bag.
  • NO: Do not put the bag in your recycling bin.
  • NO: Do not place the bag next to or on top of your cart.

04

You're Done!

That’s it! After collection, your food scrap bag will be automatically separated from the regular trash and brought to an industrial compost facility to be recycled.

Simplify Your Waste. Get Reminders, Pay Bills, & More.

Utilize our waste wizard to schedule reminders, pay your bill, find our FAQ’s, and also find out how to recycle certain items.

If you want to check your schedule OR sign up for service reminders – here’s how:

  • Click on the Calendar Icon.
  • Enter your address.
  • Click on the reminder button.
  • Sign up for your customized alerts!

 

It’s that easy and you will always be in the loop!!!

Your Food Scraps Program Questions, Answered!

t’s a huge opportunity to make a difference! Did you know that food scraps can make up about a third of our trash? Instead of letting that valuable resource go to waste in a landfill, this program helps us turn it back into healthy, rich soil. It’s a simple way for us all to help Minnesota reach its recycling goals and create a healthier environment.

That’s a great question! It all comes down to being simple, smart, and efficient. By using these bags, we can collect your food scraps without needing extra trucks on the road, which is better for our air and keeps costs down. This system is also more inclusive, allowing everyone to participate easily, no matter what kind of home you live in.

It means we’re taking our time to get it right! This is a big, new program, and we want to ensure it runs smoothly for everyone. By introducing it to new neighborhoods in stages, we can learn and make adjustments along the way. Your area will be included as the program continues to grow!

Absolutely! The new curbside program is just one more convenient option. You can still use the food scrap drop-off sites or even compost in your own backyard. It’s all about choosing the method that works best for you!

Everyone who lives in Ramsey and Washington counties can be part of the program! Since we’re rolling it out in phases, you can check here to see if curbside pickup is active in your neighborhood. And yes, if you live in an apartment or condo, you can absolutely participate! Just toss your tied food scrap bag into your building’s regular trash dumpster or cart.

The program began its phased rollout in 2023 and is continuing to expand. The best way to know if it’s your turn is to check your address here. You can also visit the program rollout page to see the big-picture timeline.

This is where the magic happens! Your trash hauler picks everything up just like normal and takes it to the Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy Center. There, smart machinery is programmed to spot and separate the special food scrap bags from the rest of the trash. Your bag is then sent to a commercial composting facility to be transformed into nutrient-rich soil!

With some very cool technology! We use high-tech robots that can see and pick out the food scrap bags from the rest of the trash. It’s pretty neat to watch—you can see a video of the robots in action on the learn more page.

For all the details, the latest updates, and more FAQs, the official program website is the best place to go! You can find it right here: FoodScrapsPickup.com.

Drop Off Facility

Address

10191 Xylite Street NE
Blaine, MN. 55449

Hours

To the General Public
M-F: 8am – 4:30pm

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Yard Waste

Clear your yard, and we'll handle the rest! Our convenient residential yard waste service offers curbside pickup.

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Walter's Recycling & Refuse Inc. (Corporate Office)4.1
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Ginger Olson
24 hours ago
Walters has been such a great company to work with! Their customer service and billing practices are above the competition! I am moving all of my locations to their services as Waste Management has been utilizing unethical billing practices and frivolous overage fees have gone up 4 x in the last year. I can not wait to finalize this move!!
Charity Grubbs
4 days ago
We have used Walter’s Recycling & Refuse for years, and their consistently outstanding service made the decision to enter into another five-year agreement an easy one. Their team has always been dependable, professional, and incredibly responsive whenever we have needed assistance. Most recently, I called to request a new bin, and within two days it was delivered and taken care of. No repeated phone calls, no chasing anyone down, and no unnecessary complications. I made one call, and Walter’s handled the rest. That kind of service matters, especially when you are running a business. Waste and recycling service is something you should not have to continually think about or manage. Walter’s shows up, does what they say they are going to do, and responds quickly when something additional is needed. Their customer service team is helpful, friendly, and easy to work with, and their reliability has remained consistent throughout the many years we have been customers. There is a reason we were comfortable committing to Walter’s for another five years. A long-term agreement is not something we enter into lightly, but Walter’s has earned our trust through years of excellent service. They understand that strong customer service is not just about answering the phone. It is about following through, solving problems quickly, and making their customers feel valued. We greatly appreciate the level of service Walter’s continues to provide and would confidently recommend them to any home or business looking for a reliable, responsive, and professional recycling and refuse company. Five stars and five more years from us!
Lee Schiele
7 days ago
Walter's has been our provider over 5 years and provide great service
David Hodgson
2 weeks ago
Walter's is great! Their customer service staff are polite, friendly and super responsive. My experience with Walter's is the best I've ever had with a garbage company.

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