What happens to food scraps after they leave a kitchen or dining space isn’t something most people think about — but this week, a transition in Teton County’s Curb to Compost program underscores the behind-the-scenes work required to keep organic waste out of the landfill and circulating locally.

Beginning this week, Arbor Works Tree Service and Organics is taking over hauling responsibilities for Teton County’s Curb to Compost program. Teton County Integrated Solid Waste and Recycling (ISWR) administers the program and oversees contracts for hauling and composting services at the county’s Trash Transfer Station south of town.

 As part of the transition, Teton County is thanking Westbank Sanitation for four years of reliable and professional community food waste collection services on behalf of the Curb to Compost program, and for the company’s continuing partnership in valuable cardboard collection. Westbank played an important role in helping establish commercial food waste hauling in Teton County and supported the program from its inception.

 “Programs like Curb to Compost take time to build, and they depend on strong local partnerships,” said Becky Kiefer, ISWR superintendent. “We’re grateful for the contractors who have helped us lay the groundwork for this program, and we’re looking forward to continuing that work as we expand food waste diversion in the community.”

 Founded in 2012 by brothers Corey and Taylor Felton, new hauler Arbor Works is a Jackson-based organic waste and tree service. In addition to food waste hauling, Arbor Works began running Teton County’s compost production operations in December 2024, having purchased the business from former operator Terra Firma Organics.

 The combination of tree removal services, food waste hauling and compost production allows Arbor Works to easily ramp up the scale of operations, especially as more food-oriented businesses and subdivisions jump on the bandwagon.
 
“The Felton brothers are passionate about this work and about serving the community in this new role,” Kiefer said. “By diverting food waste from the landfill, they’re helping keep valuable material out of the waste stream while also improving the quality of the compost they produce.” 

 In Jackson Hole and nationally, food waste represents a significant opportunity for waste diversion, Kiefer said. Nationally, food waste comprises roughly a quarter of material sent to landfills, and in Teton County food scraps account for an estimated 11% of the waste stream, according to a 2022 county waste audit.

 Capturing that valuable material through composting programs can significantly reduce shipping and landfill disposal while returning valuable organic matter to the earth. Landfills lack the oxygen needed for food to properly decompose, and foods that do eventually break down generate methane, a greenhouse gas far more potent than what is produced in a composting operation. 

 If fully captured, food waste generated in Teton County could divert nearly 4,000 tons of food waste each year from being hauled 100 miles to a regional landfill in Bonneville County, Idaho, Kiefer said. Instead, those organic materials can be composted locally and reused as soil products that support landscaping, gardens and construction projects throughout the valley.

 Food waste collected through the Curb to Compost program is blended with yard waste and woody materials to produce compost and soils. These products are lab-tested and designed for a range of applications, from general construction and finish grading to garden and landscape use, helping close the loop between waste reduction and land stewardship.

 In addition to the commercial Curb to Compost hauling program, Teton County also offers a residential food waste drop-off program at the Recycling Center, as well as self-haul options for businesses and large quantities of food scraps. Together, these programs provide multiple paths for residents and businesses to divert organic material from the landfill.

 The Curb to Compost program is part of Teton County’s broader Road to Zero Waste JH initiative, which focuses on reducing waste, reusing materials and improving recycling and composting systems over time. 

MORE INFO: 

• To inquire about Curb to Compost services for restaurants, neighborhood HOA’s, hotels, offices and stores, visit TetonCountyWY.gov/Compost or call (307) 733-7678.
• For information on the residential food scrap drop-off program, visit the Recycling Center during office hours or call (307) 733-7678.
• For yard-waste, trees, grass and leaves composting options, visit TetonCountyWY.gov/1739/Yard-Waste or call (307) 733-7678.
• To obtain contractor-grade or garden-grade topsoil engineered in the valley, contact Arbor Works’ Russ Marolf at (307) 284-7939.