Prior Lake, Minn. – The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) invites Scott County residents to drop off their Christmas trees for free at the Organics Recycling Facility from Friday, December 26-Saturday, January 17. More than 25 million real Christmas trees are sold in the United States each year and recycling helps repurpose them into usable compost.

Christmas trees will be accepted from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mondays-Fridays from December 26 to January 16, as well as the following Saturdays: January, 3, 10 and 17. The Organics Recycling Facility will be closed Sundays and New Year’s Day.

Trees should be free of tinsel, flocking, and other non-compostable material. Garlands and spruce tops will be accepted as long as metal and other non-compostable items are a minor component. Wreaths will be accepted as long as the metal cages are removed prior to drop-off.

The SMSC’s Organics Recycling Facility is located at 1905 Canterbury Road in Shakopee. For more information, call 952-403-7030 or visit www.smscorf.com.

About the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is a federally recognized, sovereign Indian tribe located southwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul. With a focus on being a good neighbor, good steward of the earth, and good employer, the SMSC is committed to charitable donations, community partnerships, a healthy environment, and a strong economy. The SMSC and the SMSC Gaming Enterprise (Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and Little Six Casino) are the largest employer in Scott County. Out of a Dakota tradition to help others, the SMSC has donated nearly $300 million to organizations and causes since opening the Gaming Enterprise in the 1990s and has contributed millions more to regional governments and infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer systems, and emergency services.