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Waste Management

Duluth
Region: Northeast
Western Lake Superior Sanitary District
2626 Courtland Street
Duluth, MN 55806
Contact: Susan Darley-Hill
Phone: (218) 722-0761
Fax: (218) 727-7471
E-mail: susan.darleyhill@wlssd.com
Web: www.wlssd.com
Tour Focus: The two-hour full facility indoor/outdoor walking tour includes the WLSSD wastewater treatment plant (13+ years of age), Household Hazardous Waste facility (13+ years of age), and the Organics Composting site (6+ years; under 13 years accompanied by an adult). Shorter, in-depth tours of one or more of these areas of operation are 1-1.5 hours long. Tour narration is amplified and visitors are required to wear hard hats and closed toe shows (high heels are not recommended). Comparable video/audio tour presentations are also available by appointment.
Group Size: 7 minimum, 60 maximum
Cost: free
Availability: Tours are available year-round, by appointment only
Tour Guide: WLSSD staff

Elk River
Region: Central
Elk River Resource Recovery-RRT
10700 165th Ave NW
Elk River, MN
Contact: Rhonda Madsen
Phone: (763) 441-3800
Fax: (763) 441-8989
E-mail: Rhonda.madsen@rrtmn.com
Website: www.rrtmn.com
Tour Focus: RRT is a municipal solid waste processing facility that converts every-day garbage into Refuse Derived Fuel and transports it to the Great River Energy Power Plant where they burn it to generate electricity. We promote processing of garbage v. burying in landfills.
Group Size: no minimum, 25 maximum
Cost: free
Availability: Tours are available by appointment, year-round
Tour Guide: Plant supervisors, employees, staff

Hutchinson
Region: Central
Creekside Composting Facility
1500 Adams Street SE
Hutchinson, MN 55350
Contact: Doug Johnson
Phone: (320) 234-5642
Website: www.creeksidesoils.com
Tour Focus: This tour focuses on our state of the art recycling and composting site operations.
Group Size: 25-30 adults maximum, 20 children maximum
Cost: free
Availability: Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm
Tour Guide: site manager

Pine River
Region: Northwest
Happy Dancing Turtle
2373 Dancing Wind Road SW
Pine River, MN 56474
Phone: (218) 587-2303
Fax: (218) 597-5002
E-mail: general@happydancingturtle.org
Website: www.happydancingturtle.com
Tour Focus: The Hunt Utilities Group Campus is a destination point for research and development of sustainable living, renewable energy, and high efficiency housing. Tour points include experimental buildings incorporating straw bale and cob, Structural Insulated Panels, cob artwork, greenhouse, heat storage systems, solar panels, geothermal heat pumps, water catchment, composting toilets, waste water reclamation, and sustainable landscaping. Hands-on activities can also be arranged.
Group Size: no minimum, no maximum, but approximately 60 people
Cost: no fee at this time
Availability: year-round, by appointment
Tour Guide: educational staff

Redwood Falls
Region: Southern
Redwood County Recycling Center
Highway 19 and 71 East
P.O. Box 130
Redwood Falls, MN 56283
Contact: Brian Sams
Phone: (507) 644-2800
E-mail: eredcorec@redred.com
Website: www.redwood.mn.us
Tour Focus: The tour focuses on recycling and other environmental programs.
Group Size: no minimum, 25 maximum (will divide larger groups)
Cost: free
Availability: year-round, by appointment
Tour Guide: guided by manager

Truman
Region: Southern
Prairieland Compost Facility
801 East 5th Street North
P.O. Box 100
Truman, MN 56008
Phone: (507) 776-3232
Fax: (507) 776-3288
E-mail: mark@prairielandcompost.com
Website: www.prairielandcompost.com
Tour Focus: On this tour you will learn about the process of converting municipal waste (garbage) into compost.
Group Size: no minimum, no maximum
Cost: free
Availability: year-round, by appointment
Tour Guide: guided by plant supervisor or director