West Hartford expands food scrap diversion with secure drop-off infrastructure

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Impact

• More than 100,000 pounds of food scraps diverted since launch 
• Built on the success of the Morley neighborhood pilot, which diverted 160,000 pounds 
• Expanded from 4 initial drop-off stations to 10 bins, with 4 more planned 
• 1,169 residents using the metroKEY app to access locked bins 
• Lower-cost drop-off model selected over voluntary curbside collection

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The Challenge

West Hartford wanted to expand food waste diversion in a way that was practical, affordable, and scalable.

The town had already seen strong results through its Morley neighborhood pilot, which diverted 160,000 pounds of food scraps from the waste stream. That success showed there was real resident demand for food scrap recycling, but the next phase needed to work across the wider community.

At the same time, town leaders were weighing how to expand access without taking on the cost and operational complexity of curbside food scrap collection. Early estimates showed that a voluntary curbside program would require a substantially higher upfront and ongoing investment than a drop-off model.

The town needed infrastructure that could:

• Give residents an easy way to separate food scraps 
• Keep participation simple and accessible 
• Support secure, well-managed public drop-off 
• Reduce costs while building toward future expansion

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The Solution

West Hartford launched its town-wide food scrap drop-off program on Earth Day 2025, starting with four drop-off stations located across town.

Instead of introducing curbside collection immediately, the town chose a secure drop-off model that could deliver wider access at a more manageable cost. Residents use the metroKEY app to unlock enclosed food scrap carts and deposit material free of charge, aside from supplying their own kitchen bucket and compostable bags.

metroSTOR provided lockable food waste drop-off stations designed for cleanliness, security, and ease of use. The enclosed units gave the town a practical way to offer public access while maintaining a controlled and user-friendly system.

The initial rollout was funded in part through American Rescue Plan Act funding, helping West Hartford launch the program while limiting the financial burden on the municipality.

From the Client

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Why towns are starting with secure food scrap drop-off

For many municipalities, food scrap diversion is a priority, but curbside collection can be difficult to justify as a first step. It often requires significant investment, ongoing operating costs, and service changes that are hard to support before participation is proven.

Secure drop-off infrastructure offers a more flexible path forward.

It allows municipalities to:

• Launch organics diversion with lower upfront cost 
• Expand access without redesigning full curbside operations 
• Create visible public participation points across the community 
• Manage use through secure, app-enabled infrastructure 
• Gather real-world usage data before scaling further 

West Hartford shows how this model can work in practice. By building on pilot success, launching with secure drop-off stations, and expanding in response to demand, the town has created a scalable approach to food scrap diversion that other municipalities can learn from.