New Food Waste Program in Coconut Creek, FL Off To A Flying Start
Michael Heimbach is the Solid Waste Project Manager for The City of Coconut Creek, FL. Having recently launched a new food waste program, we caught up with him to dig into the details.
In the solid waste community, food waste is getting more and more attention, especially with things like community composters popping up in towns. Increasing numbers of communities offering food waste diversion options is having a positive domino effect across the country. Having previously worked in the City of Gainesville, FL which had a pretty extensive food waste program, Michael wanted to kickstart something in Coconut Creek.
Deciding on a food waste drop off program to engage the community, Michael was keen to make sure that it started strong and was something that could develop and expand over time. As it was to be placed in a public place, secure containers and limited access were at the top of his list. This is where metroSTOR came into play.
The city opted for an F-Series Organics Cart Enclosure as the best way to eliminate contamination whilst also limiting who can use the bin. Available in three sizes, the units are robust and easy to maintain and can even feature custom branding. Thanks to its foot pedal, operation is hands-free making for a much more pleasant user experience.
The pilot program has started with 50 people initially, with the aim of expanding in the coming months. Residents were made aware via targeted social media posts and citywide newsletters, giving them the opportunity to sign up and be the first to participate. As part of the effort to eliminate contamination, bold graphics are displayed on both the cart enclosure and the household waste buckets given to residents. These clearly illustrate what can and can’t go into the bin. In addition to the bucket, residents are also given a kitchen pail and compostable bags.
Keeping access to the bin limited to its 50 participants was very important. Not only would it allow for accurate data collection but it also prevents anyone unfamiliar with the rules contaminating the unit. As for side waste, Michael reports that nothing has been dumped around the bin.
As the program evolves, Michael has big plans for the future of food waste diversion in Coconut Creek. He hopes that as community engagement builds and volumes increase, he can add more units citywide to keep up with that demand. Additionally, while the keypad offers excellent access control, the next step will be adding Bluetooth access via the metroKEY app.
metroKey not only adds more robust access control to a food waste program – no forgotten keycodes – but it also allows direct communication to the user. This includes information on other nearby units and further information on accepted materials. Information is also fed back to an admin portal, allowing everything from collection data to user enquiries to be monitored. In the event of misuse, the administrator also has the power to suspend users as and when necessary.
A key part of any food waste program is effective collection and processing. Large scale cross-state transit of food waste has obvious negative effects on the environment. Another issue is that communities might not actually get to benefit from their own food waste diversion.
With that in mind, Michael and Coconut Creek are currently working with Filthy Organics – an independent collection and composting service situated just outside the city limits. Michael says that partners like these are integral to the program in its early stages, and will continue to be so as it gains more momentum. It means that the city is not only in control of, but directly benefits from the full cycle of composting.
As local interest in the program grows, Michael is already looking forward to what the future holds for Coconut Creek’s food waste program. With continued growing interest he hopes to slowly grow the offering alongside the volume waste being diverted. In time, multi-family and commercial collections are on the cards.
While the city doesn’t have the infrastructure yet to offer curbside collection, it’s proof that great things can happen when communities come together. Watch this space for updates and we at metroSTOR can’t wait to see this program go from strength to strength.
Program Highlights (as of July 2025):
One year into its food waste drop-off pilot, Coconut Creek is seeing promising results from a carefully phased rollout built on education, exclusivity and strong public engagement. With a population of 60,000 and over 28,000 residential units, the city chose to begin small, limiting the initial program to just 50 households, with the aim of scaling up slowly and sustainably.
Solid Waste Project Manager, Michael Heimbach, joined metroSTOR’s recent Food Waste Drop-offs In Action webinar, where experts from across the country with first hand experience of rolling out successful food waste programs, shared their insights. Michael credited the program’s early success to its deliberate structure: “Starting with 50 participants allowed us to build responsibility and compliance from the ground up. It set a tone of commitment, not just convenience.”
The first metroSTOR FX units were placed at the city’s existing weekend recycling site, with a second now active at City Hall. Both are keypad-access only and users were required to sign up, review program rules and complete onboarding before receiving a starter kit with an outdoor bucket, kitchen caddy and compostable liners.
The results have been encouraging:
The city plans to add another 50 residents in Fall 2025 and then continue in 50-person increments. A grant application is underway to support the next phase: a pilot food waste program for five large multifamily housing communities, with potential to scale to over 20,000 units in the future. Coconut Creek’s long-term ambition is to make food waste diversion mandatory for multifamily developments, shifting more operational responsibility to property managers.
Commercial participation is also under consideration. The city is evaluating a pilot model where individual businesses would each receive their own metroSTOR unit, a promising step for capturing the large volumes of food waste generated in retail and foodservice settings.
metroSTOR gave us a product that is secure, attractive, and practical. It draws people in. People want to learn about the program just by seeing it in action. That visibility really matters.
For now, Coconut Creek continues to build its program incrementally, but the goal remains clear: citywide organics diversion that is clean, effective and community-driven.
You can hear from Michael and the other waste team experts in our full webinar recording, here.
