Pumpkin Smash Composting Event Nov. 7

Press release from the Village of Western Springs:

The Pumpkin Smash is an annual community effort to divert pumpkins from landfills by providing locations for residents to drop off Jack-o-lanterns to be composted.* This year the Village of Western Springs is partnering with SCARCE to host its second annual pumpkin composting event:

Saturday, November 7, 2020

Western Springs Pool Parking Lot (1300 Hillgrove Avenue)

9 am – 12 pm

View the Traffic Pattern Map

Remember:

Only pumpkins themselves can be composted. No plastic or metal of any kind. Pumpkins must be contaminant-free, which means no candles, stickers, googly eyes, plastic ears, or other non-biodegradable material. Acrylic paint is acceptable, but no oil-based paint or permanent marker is allowed.

*Pumpkins should not be disposed of in the regular garbage, or set out at the curb with leaves, as they can damage the mulching equipment. Residents are encouraged to attend the free pumpkin composting event, or to put pumpkins out as organic material in a brown craft bag (with a blue LRS sticker) for collection.

Alternatively, residents can simply put pumpkins outside, away from the house, and allow them to decompose naturally. If the pumpkin isn’t carved, speed up the process by smashing it or cutting it apart.

Additional Resources:

Why composting pumpkins is important: Smashing the Great Pumpkin-Waste Problem

Energy.gov: Reducing Waste and Harvesting Energy This Halloween

Learn more about composting at www.scarce.org

This press release was produced by the Village of Western Springs. The views expressed are the author's own.