The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) held a ceremonial ribbon cutting and grand opening event on June 24 for an expansive organics recycling operation in Scott County, just south of downtown Chaska.
The 93-acre Dakota Prairie Composting (DPC) site off Highway 41 is one of just two major composting facilities that process organics in the metro area. It collects and recycles commercial and residential organics, and then sells the resulting product — compost, soil amendments and natural hardwood mulch. Customers include residential gardeners, landscapers, builders, transportation project crews and more.
Since 2011, the tribe has operated a sustainable composting facility in Shakopee. But that site has reached capacity and an expansion was necessary to keep up with growing demand.
According to DPC Director Dustin Montey, planning for a larger facility began about 10 years ago but construction was delayed due to the pandemic. Officials eventually conducted a groundbreaking ceremony two years ago, and the business has finally started operating in its new location.
In its first phase, Dakota Prairie Composting will double the volume of its organics recycling business – diverting up to 155,500 tons of organics and 25,000 tons of food scraps from local landfills.
The facility uses a state-of-the-art Covered Aerated Static Pile (CASP) system to control odors and increase efficiency. The system cuts the organic processing time from the typical 90-day timeframe to just 20 days, Montey reported, and maintains an optimal temperature of between 131 degrees and 160 degrees Fahrenheit within the organic piles.
“That kills off the bad bacteria,” he said. “But you don’t want it to be too hot and kill the good bugs.”
DPC also touts a massive de-packaging facility that will accept large shipments of packaged foods that can be swiftly separated for recycling.
In addition, a stormwater reclamation system — funded by a congressional appropriation backed by the efforts of Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Sen. Tina Smith and Rep. Angie Craig — helps protect the site’s surface and groundwater resources and recycles water for reuse within the system.
Due to increasing demand for the service, Montey said he expects the new facility to reach capacity quickly. Fortunately, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency permit allows for up to 212,500 tons of organics to be recycled at DPC, including 35,000 tons of food scraps. That next expansion will come with the business’s second phase.
Montey said the DPC facility will help Minnesota reach its goal of recycling 75% of the state’s waste by 2030.
During the ribbon cutting ceremony, SMSC Chairman Cole W. Miller thanked the many local, state and national partners who helped make the project possible.
“It’s been a long journey,” Miller said. “I’m excited to finally be here at the grand opening. It’s going to be great for the environment, and it’s just another feather in our cap as a tribe.”
Andy Vig, an SMSC member and director of Hoċokata Ṫi, the tribe’s cultural center, provided some historical perspective related to the new business opportunity. He then offered a native prayer for peace, success and safety of workers.
Vig said indigenous ancestors settled in three villages nearby some 11,000 years ago, but an 1851 treaty forced them from the land. It’s a full-circle moment for the tribe to again occupy the land of their ancestors and reconnect with the Dakota’s heritage as recyclers, Vig added.
“We were 100% sustainable,” Vig said of his people. “We never wasted anything. We still try to stay true to those things. We’re 100% reliant on this earth.”
Thad Hellman, economic development administrator for SMSC, told the crowd that the composting facility team is excited to be underway at the new site.
“This history-making facility is really going to help our state, reduce its reliance on landfills, conserve energy and natural resources, and reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions,” Hellman said. “As a tribe that’s dedicated to being a good steward of the earth, Dakota Prairie Composting is part of a broader strategy by the tribe to strengthen the SMSC sustainable economic infrastructure. It’s taking what is a waste product and turning it into something valuable.”
The project’s grand opening, Hellman added, proves what can be accomplished through community partnerships.
“Something like this doesn’t happen without the involvement of a whole lot of people,” Hellman said. “From feasibility studies and permitting, to construction and now the operation, this has been a true collaborative effort.”
Learn more about Dakota Prairie Composting, the enterprise’s services and products, and the state-of-the-art facility by visiting dakotaprairiecomposting.com.
