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Tucked in the mountains of south central Idaho, the City of Hailey is home to just under 10,000 residents and a steady influx of visitors drawn to the nearby Sun Valley Resort. With a landfill located roughly 100 miles away, the cost and emissions associated with hauling food waste out of the Wood River Valley were growing concerns. City leaders also heard from residents who wanted an option beyond backyard composting but were not enthusiastic about paying for curbside organics service.
Curbside collections was evaluated early in the planning process. For Hailey, the numbers did not pencil out. The service would have been expensive for residents and redundant for households already composting at home. The city needed a collection model that was affordable, inclusive, and manageable through five months of snow and freezing temperatures.
With grant support from the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, Hailey launched a 24/7 residential food scrap drop-off program in late 2023. The city partnered with metroSTOR to install secure FX series enclosures in high traffic locations including grocery stores, City Hall, a park, and a community campus. Each enclosure houses a 65 gallon cart and offers controlled access through a mobile app or a keypad entry code. Bins are serviced twice weekly by a local hauler and material is delivered to Winn’s Compost, a commercial composting facility in the valley. Keeping the material local reduces hauling emissions and strengthens the regional compost market.
Lessons for Operators and Program Officers
Hailey approached the rollout as a pilot with built in testing. Three sites launched with app only access while one used keypad entry. The keypad proved more popular almost immediately. Residents favored simplicity over technology. Based on that feedback, new installations now include both PIN and app access. For compost operators advising municipalities, this is a reminder that ease of use drives participation more than advanced features.
Contamination has been rare and manageable. City staff monitor bins twice a week. If an issue arises, they can identify the user who accessed the unit and send a reminder email. QR codes on each enclosure link directly to clear instructions on the city website. One bilingual postcard featuring a photo of the bins and straightforward guidance was sufficient to launch the program. Outreach was targeted and practical rather than extensive.
Demand has exceeded expectations. Five drop off sites are now active, and the city reallocated some outreach funds to purchase additional units. After residents noted that one enclosure was too tall for some users, Hailey added an ADA compliant version, reinforcing the importance of accessibility in public programs.
For rural municipalities and small city program officers, Hailey’s experience demonstrates that drop off can be a durable alternative to curbside. For compost operators, the case highlights the value of aligning with local governments to create reliable, source separated feedstock streams. A right sized collection model, consistent monitoring, and a nearby processing outlet can turn geographic isolation into an opportunity to build local resilience and steady organic material supply.
