A Small Site, A Big Signal: Hopkins' First Multifamily Organics Drop-Off
How the City of Hopkins, Minnesota is closing the multifamily organics gap with a keypad-locked drop-off site and 115 residents signed on in the first three months
| Partner | City of Hopkins, Minnesota |
|---|---|
| Sectors | Municipal government, multifamily residential |
| Locations | Hopkins, MN |
| EcoSafe products | 16x17 Compostable Bag Liner (MultiRes®); MultiRes® Dispenser for HR1617-6 |
| Results | 115 residents signed up in the program's first 3 months; a second drop-off site now in planning |
About the City of Hopkins
Hopkins is a city in the Minneapolis–St. Paul metro area of Minnesota. In 2025, the City adopted its Climate Solutions Plan, which set goals to divert recyclables and organic material away from the landfill. The City's Sustainability Specialist, Mikala Larson, leads programs in support of those goals.
The Challenge
Multifamily residents are typically left out of curbside organics collection, making it hard for renters and apartment dwellers to divert food scraps from the landfill. To meet the diversion targets in its Climate Solutions Plan, Hopkins needed a way to give multifamily residents real, convenient access to composting without the infrastructure of a full curbside program.
The Solution
The City opened a dedicated organics drop-off site for multifamily residents, secured with a mechanical keypad lock. Residents who sign up for the program receive an access code and can drop off food scraps any time during dawn-to-dusk hours.
To remove friction for new participants, the City equips every resident who signs up with a starter kit: EcoSafe's 16x17 compostable bag liner, dispensed on-site via the MultiRes® dispenser, plus education on what belongs in the compost. Additional bags are kept on-site so residents can restock as they go, rather than needing to plan ahead or buy their own.
The Results
In its first three months, the site signed up 115 residents — a strong response for a single-site pilot serving multifamily housing. The starter kits and on-site bag refills have been especially well received, lowering the barrier for residents trying composting for the first time. The program is directly advancing the diversion goals in the City's Climate Solutions Plan.
What's next
Based on the strength of the response, Hopkins is now planning a second multifamily drop-off site to expand access to more residents across the city.
