City Holds Second Annual Pumpkin Composting Event

Submitted by the City of Elmhurst.

The City of Elmhurst will be collecting pumpkins for composting at the Elmhurst Public Works Garage at 985 South Riverside Drive on Nov. 7 from 9 a.m. to noon.

This will be the City’s Second Composting Event held in cooperation with SCARCE, an organization dedicated to inspiring people to care for the Earth in DuPage County.

Thousands of pumpkins have been purchased this season with the intended use of fall décor. When the season comes to an end, many of these pumpkins are thrown away. The City of Elmhurst has teamed up with SCARCE to provide an easy outlet for residents and business owners to recycle decorative pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns.

Why compost pumpkins?

• They are full of nutrients that are good for the soil
• They are 90 percent water
• Most of the pumpkins processed in the United States are grown in Illinois – keep the water and nutrients
• Landfills are the 3rd largest producers of methane gas
• Composting pumpkins returns nutrients and water back to our earth

All pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns can be dropped off at the event for composting, however only the pumpkins themselves will be collected. Participants with jack-o-lanterns decorated with stickers, candles, yarn, etc., should remove any materials in or on the pumpkin before delivering for composting.

For more information about this event, please contact Chris Dufort at (630) 530-3036 or visit elmhurst.org.