JACKSON, Wyo. — Curbside compost pickup could become a countywide service in the coming years. On July 15, the County Commission approved a contract to conduct a feasibility study with Resource Recycling Systems Inc.
The study will evaluate collection models, infrastructure needs, cost recovery strategies and the integration of a pay-as-you-throw program. The study will consider implementing curbside compost collection service across all incorporated and unincorporated areas of the county, including Wilson, Teton Village, Kelly, Jackson, and neighborhoods south of town.
Teton County Integrated Solid Waste and Recycling (ISWR) secured a $40,000 USDA grant to support the study, set to begin as early as this month, with final results due May 2026.
The Michigan-based consultants, Resource Recycling Systems Inc., have worked with ISWR since January to develop and support the current commercial organics collection program, managed by Arbor Works. The residential collection aspect, if implemented, would be designed to complement the existing commercial program.
According to the County, “the goal is to create a creative, easy-to-use, flexible, price-competitive residential organics collection program compatible with a volume-based pay-as-you-throw.”
The USDA subsidizes the commercial compost pickup program and current rates are 50% off through March 31, 2026, to encourage participation. Westbank Sanitation is contracted for collections, offered on Tuesdays and Fridays. Only food waste is accepted through the commercial pick-up program; meat, dairy, fruit, vegetables, grains and breads are accepted. No garbage, shellfish, compostable containers, paper or packaging is accepted. For the commercial pickup program, rates are dependent on the size of the container and the frequency of collection. For example, a 35-gallon container collected twice per week, is currently $54 per month, including the 50% discount.
Composting is part of the County’s Road to Zero Waste Plan; the goal is to divert 60% of waste in Teton County by 2030. This summer, ISWR is challenging the community to reach 35% diversion, aligned with the County’s 35th anniversary of public recycling. ISWR opened the Food Waste Composting Facility and began accepting food waste in Feb. 2021. Later that year, ISWR purchased a food de-packaging system, necessary to process commercial food waste. The system was purchased using 2019 voter approved SPET funding to support Road to Zero Waste Infrastructure. ISWR further improved the system in 2023 by purchasing an air knife density separator with USDA grant funding which makes removing unpickable materials like PLU stickers possible.
Currently, residential food waste can be self-hauled to the Recycling Center, accepted Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Food waste must be hauled in 5-gallon buckets or less for a fee of $2 per container.
