Touring the Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy Facility: A Fresh Perspective on Waste

As the Executive Director of Sustainable Stillwater MN, I recently had the opportunity to join the EcoFaith group for a fascinating tour of the Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy (R&E) Center. Seeing firsthand how our community’s trash is processed was both eye-opening and inspiring. I left with a renewed commitment to reduce my consumption, waste less food, and prioritize reuse over disposal whenever possible.

Ramsey/Washington Recycling & Energy (R&E) Center

The tour showcased how Ramsey and Washington counties are leading the way in waste management, working aggressively to implement a model that prioritizes waste reduction, reuse, and recycling over landfilling. Currently, both counties recycle nearly 50% of their waste, supported by robust education, technical assistance, and financial incentives through R&E’s community partnerships.

Each year, the R&E Center processes approximately 450,000 tons of trash. The facility extracts recyclable metals and produces fuel used to power electricity plants. In 2023 alone, the fuel generated was enough to supply electricity to 13,450 homes for an entire year.

Additionally, 12,029 tons of metal were recovered for recycling, and waste processing at the facility prevented the release of nearly 100,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide—the equivalent of removing more than 22,000 gasoline-powered cars from the road.

It was a powerful reminder that waste is not just garbage—it’s a resource. Waste-to-energy technology produces significantly fewer greenhouse gas emissions than landfilling, reduces waste volume by 90%, and offers a smarter, more sustainable alternative to the long-term environmental risks posed by landfills.

In fact, every ton of trash processed through waste-to-energy methods is 30 times more effective at reducing greenhouse gases than landfilling.

My takeaway from the day: We all have a role to play. Be mindful of what you consume, reuse whenever you can, and remember—every small action helps protect our planet for future generations.

Andi Arnold

Executive Director

Sustainable Stillwater MN