The Sweetman family posed for a picture together at the Redwood County fairgrounds earlier this summer. Sweetman Sanitation recently expanded its service into Lyon and Lincoln Counties, taking over former Waste Management service routes.

MARSHALL — This summer, Sweetman Sanitation expanded its service area in southwest Minnesota. For Ray Sweetman, the expansion was a little like coming back to his roots.

Before he ever had his own sanitation business, Sweetman was working for Curry Sanitation in Lyon and Lincoln Counties. “I started with Curry when I was like 13,” Sweetman said. Curry Sanitation was later bought by Waste Management. This year, the Sweetman Sanitation took over WM’s service routes in the Marshall area – bringing Ray full circle.

“We took over about a month ago,” Sweetman said Friday. He said a lot was familiar about returning to the Marshall area, right down to the shop they were working in.

“We’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve the residents of Marshall,” said Taryn Nance, area communications manager for WM, said this week. “As of July 21, 2025, WM of Minnesota, Inc. made a strategic decision to divest a limited number of assets to Sweetman Sanitation, including customer service accounts in the Marshall area.”

Nance said Waste Management was leasing its hauling location in Marshall to Sweetman Sanitation.

“To us, it made sense,” Sweetman said of the expansion. The change has also been exciting for the family-owned business. “We love our community, and our area,” he said.

Sweetman Sanitation started out serving customers in Redwood and Renville Counties, he said. Now, they also provide curbside recycling service in Lincoln County, and serve about 500 to 600 homes and businesses in Lincoln and Lyon Counties.

“In Lyon County, it’s more spread out. We do a lot of rural service, and we are in the city of Marshall,” Sweetman said.

Both WM and Sweetman Sanitation worked to notify customers of the change in ownership, he said. “Then, it’s a lot of transfer of information,” he said. Sweetman said his goal during the transition was to make sure that customers’ service was there, with as little change as possible.

“Our goal was to keep everything the same,” he said. Sweetman said he wasn’t changing the affected customers’ rates. However, some service routes might be updated as they figure out what works best, he said.

Sweetman said his company has a total of about 15 drivers, although they would likely be looking at hiring a couple more people to allow for flexibility.

Sweetman said he likes working with local businesses and vendors, and trying to find new perspectives and solutions for waste disposal and recycling.

“We always try to focus on local,” Sweetman said.