Recycle Organics on Campus

Many of us seek ways to lead more environmentally friendly lives and reduce our impact on the planet. One way to do that is through organics recycling or composting, which reduces the amount of waste that goes into landfills or is burned in incinerators. Organics recycling returns regenerated organic material to the earth and has other benefits as well.

A recent Hennepin County waste study shows that organic materials are the largest part of our daily trash stream at nearly 25%. Food and food scraps are the most common substances in the trash, yet they are the easiest to compost!

You can participate in organics recycling here at the College by first signing up to get access to a locked green organics recycling cart located on the edge of campus at the corner of Willow and Yale Streets just outside Whitney Fine Arts. After signing up, you will receive the access code to the cart locks.

Accepted items include food scraps, pizza boxes, napkins, paper towels, coffee grounds and tissues. Read a complete list of accepted items.

One-gallon office/kitchen compost bins are available to store and transport your food waste to the organics recycling carts. They come with a small supply of compostable plastic bags. If interested, email: greenteammctc@gmail.com

Here are some benefits to organics recycling:

• Reduces trash burned in incinerators and the need for more landfills to bury both trash and ashes.
• Reduces fees that that Minneapolis College pays to have trash hauled away.
• Reduces greenhouse gases and their effects on climate change, especially methane gas. Methane is released by food waste as it decomposes in landfills and is one of the most long-lasting and destructive of climate gases.
• Helps reduce trash and moves the College closer to zero waste goals.
• Helps you feel good in taking a positive step for the environment!