Nutrition Center Best Management System for Waste, Recycling, Organics
NEW Nutrition Center Materials Transfer System
We are rolling out a modernized, color-coded sorting system across the Education Operations Services (EOS) facility to make sorting waste easier, cleaner and more efficient. This streamlined collection process is designed specifically around the daily flow of our warehouse and kitchen teams.
Sorting waste fosters a culture of environmental sustainability among students, staff and the wider community. Proper waste sorting reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills or incinerators, conserving valuable resources. The District spends more than $1 Million dollars on our waste program every year and in Ramsey County our trash is taxed 70% (we essentially pay for it twice) whereas recycling and organics have 0% tax. Embracing proper waste sorting is a tangible and impactful way our District is dedicated to being a responsible steward of our environment and resources.
Color-Coded Bins
Every waste type has a standard color, bin and label. Sort stations were placed based on workflow in two types of stations:
Stationary Sort Stations: Permanently placed at key waste generation hubs in the warehouse, kitchen and loading dock. (such as hand washing sinks)
Travelling Sort Stations: Mobile bins, that staff build up as needed based on production and what types of materials will be generated within the kitchen or warehouse.
Waste is sorted into 4 distinct waste streams: Organics, Recycling, Trash and Plastic Film. Refer to the signage posted above or attached to the bins for correct disposal guidelines.
Organics: food scraps, peels, BPI certified compostable packaging, coffee filters/grounds, and food soiled paper such as napkins, paper towels and pizza boxes.
Recycling: empty plastics labeled #1, #2, #5, cartons, metal cans, glass bottles and jars, paper and cardboard.
Trash: When in doubt, throw it out. Everything else goes in the Trash.
Plastic Film Recycling: New, dedicated yellow for clean, dry plastic film, bubble wrap, and packing air pillows
New Warehouse/Kitchen Specific Signage
Tailored visual signs have posted at specific work zones, or on the bins themselves.
Where Does it Go?
From our loading dock, dedicated haulers transport each stream to specialized regional processing facilities:
Recycling: Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Inver Grove Heights, MN
Organics (compost): Specialized Environmental Technologies (SET) in Rosemount, MN
Trash: Ramsey/Washington & Energy Center (R&E) Center in Newport, MN
Plastic Film Recycling: Merrick Inc. in Little Canada, MN
Prevent Contamination: Protect Our Waste Streams
Proper sorting is critical. If Recycling, Organics or Plastic Film bins become contaminated with too much non-acceptable Trash, the entire bin must be thrown away as Trash.
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Common acceptable/unacceptable recycling/organics items (ppt)
Organics 101: SET (where our compost organics goes to)
Republic Services Recycling Guide (where our recycling goes to)
R&E Center (video- where our trash goes, waste-to-energy)
Merrick (where our plastic film goes)
What Happens to Items That We Put in Recycling
Learn more: Recycling Exists
Many of our items we recycle, get recycled locally:
- Many plastic containers, think plastic bottles, peanut butter jars and produce containers are going to manufacturers in Idaho, Ohio and Wisconsin to be made into bottles.
- Milk and laundry detergent jugs and shampoo bottles get made into outdoor products like plastic lawn furniture, playground equipment and decking in Minnesota.
- Many yogurt, cottage cheese and margarine tubs go to Ohio to be made into food containers and to Missouri to be made into auto parts.
- Paper and cardboard become new paper products.
- Most glass is sent to Shakopee to be made into new bottles.
- Metal cans are sent to facilities in Minnesota and the Midwest to be made into wire, beams and auto and appliance parts.
Suggestions for Improvement?
Notice a missing signage, need additional bins for your workflow, or have feedback for improvements? Contact Facilities / Environmental Services
chelsea.moody@spps.org or ESG@spps.org