Compost Information

The Owatonna Composite Site is a community yard waste site for all residents for the disposal of:

  • Brush
  • Christmas trees and wreaths
  • Garden waste
  • Grass clippings
  • Leaves
  • Other compostable yard material

In the State of Minnesota these materials are prohibited from being placed in your household garbage pickup.

This site is operated under contract with an independent service provider. 

The Compost Site is closed for the season.

Compost is organic material made from the decomposition of living things. Food and yard waste break down in the composting process to produce nutrients for plants. Composting is nature’s way of recycling. Rather than sending your food scraps, yard waste, and other organics to the landfill, you can compost them to create a nutrient rich fertilizer for your garden or lawn.

It’s a product of controlled biological decomposition of organic material that has been sanitized through the generation of heat and stabilized to the point that it is beneficial to plant growth. Compost allows you to return badly needed organic matter to your soil. Compost has a unique ability to improve the properties of soils and growing media physically (structurally), chemically (nutritionally), and biologically. Participate in nature’s cycle and cut down on the amount of trash going into burgeoning landfills. 

And, unlike most fertilizers, compost will not run off your yard and pollute Owatonna’s waterways. Individuals/ groups seeking information or interested in further supporting composting efforts in Minnesota should inquire with the Minnesota Composting Council.