metroSTOR US metroSTOR US

Public composting with cleaner streams in Fayetteville

Home » metroSTOR Case Studies » Public composting with cleaner streams in Fayetteville
Client:

City of Fayetteville

Location:

Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA

Application:

Public food scraps recycling infrastructure

Making composting available beyond curbside

The City of Fayetteville introduced secure public food scraps recycling units to make composting available to residents who do not have curbside access.

Food waste makes up a significant share of the city’s trash stream, so expanding participation is an important part of Fayetteville’s wider diversion goals. For many households, especially those living in apartments or shared housing, that depends on having public collection points that are convenient to use and reliable enough to keep the compost stream clean.

Why contamination became the defining operational risk

Fayetteville needed a system that residents could use easily at any time, including in unattended public locations.

That created a clear tension. If access was too open, contamination could quickly undermine the value of the collected material. If the system was too difficult to use, residents without curbside service would be less likely to participate at all.

The challenge was not simply to provide access. It was to make public composting work in a way that stayed usable, clean, and manageable over time.

A more secure model for public food scraps collection

To support that, the city installed keypad-activated metroSTOR enclosures at several high-traffic community locations, including the Fayetteville Public Library, Bryce Davis Park, Veterans Memorial Park, and Ozark Mountain Smokehouse.

Each unit houses a 65-gallon organics cart within a durable steel enclosure designed for long-term outdoor use. Residents receive an access code through a QR code, phone number, or online registration, allowing the city to provide 24/7 access while maintaining stronger control over what enters the system.

Clear instructional graphics help show accepted and prohibited materials at the point of use, and foot-pedal lids make the units simpler and more hygienic to use day to day.

Cleaner streams and broader resident participation

The expanded network has given more residents a practical way to take part in composting, particularly those who would otherwise be left out of the program.

At the same time, the controlled-access design has helped maintain cleaner compostable streams and reduce contamination in public locations. That matters because the success of a public composting program depends not only on participation, but on protecting material quality once food scraps start coming in.

“We love our MetroStor units, and we’ve had great feedback from our residents.”

One detail from the city’s feedback captures that especially well.

“Since launching the keypad bins, we’ve only had one contamination incident, and that was a pizza box…which we didn’t really mind.”

That kind of result is particularly significant in unattended public locations, where contamination is often one of the biggest barriers to wider food scraps collection.

A stronger base for future programme growth

Food scraps collected through the program are combined with commercial organics and processed into nutrient-rich compost, helping Fayetteville reduce landfill disposal and methane emissions while widening access to composting across the city.

The early response has been strong enough that the city is already looking ahead to expansion. That gives the project value beyond the initial installation. It shows that public composting can be broadened without losing control over the stream, provided the infrastructure is designed to support both participation and day-to-day management.

“We love these bins and are looking forward to expanding our program with the purchase of additional boxes this year.”

Heather Ellzey
Environmental Educator, Recycling & Trash Collection
City of Fayetteville

What this shows for municipal composting programs

The Fayetteville project shows that public composting can be expanded without accepting high contamination as the trade-off.

Where curbside collection is not universal, public collection points can play an important role in widening participation. But they only work well over time if they stay accessible for residents and controlled enough to protect the material. In Fayetteville, keypad access, clear guidance, and durable enclosure design helped create that balance.

For cities looking to grow composting participation, that makes public infrastructure a practical long-term part of the recovery system rather than just a temporary access point.

Looking at public composting infrastructure in your own area?

We work with municipalities and program operators to design food scraps recycling infrastructure that supports participation, protects material quality, and helps public programs perform more reliably over time.

talk to us
Explore recovery application

Organics Containment Projects

See how the metroSTOR FX System has been used in organics and contamination-sensitive environments, including shared residential settings, expansion programs, and other projects where cleaner participation and protected material quality matter. View all projects

DC Expands Food Waste Diversion

Washington, DC partnered with metroSTOR to support its Zero Waste goals by rolling out a citywide network of secure, 24‑hour smart food waste drop‑off bins.

City of Haileys Food Waste Drop-Off Program

In Hailey, Idaho, the high cost and distance of landfill disposal led the city to launch a 24/7 community food scraps drop‑off program to divert organics locally and ease pressure on residents.

Town of Secaucus Environmental Department

Secaucus, New Jersey partnered with Community Compost Company to pilot a 24‑hour community compost drop‑off program using secure metroSTOR F‑Series enclosures.

Smart, Community-Focused Pilot Program

A year into the program, the Town of Manchester is seeing real progress and learning valuable lessons as it continues to expand and adapt its food scrap drop-off initiative.