The Akin Road Student Council toured The Mulch Store in Empire Township on Thursday, April 19. Akin Road students compost organic materials as part of the school lunch program, and now they know what happens after they toss it in the yellow bin.

1. DAKOTA COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH
ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Dakota County Government Center April 10, 2012
COMPOST SITE TOUR
AKIN ROAD ELEMENTARY STUDENT COUNCIL
The Mulch Store/Empire Township April 19, 2012

2. Students climbed a berm so they could get a great view and
explanation of how organics composting works.

3. The tour guide explained the process in detail. First, the red bin is
filled with material, mixes it, and brings it over near the green mixer
shown in the background.

4. Organic materials are deposited in a pit area to start their journey.

5. Large trucks deposit the organics in the pit.

6. Large trucks deposit the organics in the pit.

7. Materials are sorted to remove any plastics or materials
that will lead to quality compost.

8. This is the other end of the same process. Farmington Area Public
Schools are able to save 17% on disposal costs by using a
composting system in the schools.

9. On the other side of the site, materials are in various stages of
composting.

10. Then the materials are process and sold to members of the public for
landscaping, gardening and other uses.

11. COMPOST SITE TOUR
AKIN ROAD ELEMENTARY STUDENT COUNCIL
The Mulch Store/Empire Township April 19, 2012