With Halloween behind us, those jack-o-lanterns that last Thursday welcomed trick-or-treaters may be looking even more spooky as they begin to decay.

Well, the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District offers an eco-friendly way to dispose of used pumpkins through its Pumpkin Composting Program, running now through Friday, Nov. 8.

The County has multiple drop-off sites around where residents can discard their unwanted pumpkins and gourds, keeping them out of landfills and instead turning them into compost.

“Our public agency wanted to introduce more food waste recycling options to the county, but the logistics, including cost and accessibility, of a full program have been challenging,” says Matthew Walters, recycling programs coordinator at Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District. “We thought pumpkins would be a fun way to introduce food waste composting to the public and start shifting people’s mindset on what happens with that sort of material.”

It’s estimated that over 1 billion pumpkins end up in landfills each year, with some figures suggesting as much as 80% of U.S.-produced pumpkins are discarded in the trash.

When pumpkins and other organic materials decompose in oxygen-deprived environments like landfills, they produce methane—a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.

“We hope it will draw attention to the amount of waste that could be diverted with a larger food waste program while also giving us a platform to talk about backyard composting and other collection options that people may not consider,” Walters explains.

The program accepts both intact and decaying pumpkins, including carved jack-o-lanterns, as long as they are free of chemical treatments, paint, decorations, candles, or stickers. The collected pumpkins will then be sent to local compost facilities to aid in waste reduction efforts.

Following a successful pilot in 2023, this year’s program has expanded to include ten drop-off sites. “Last year, our two pilot locations collected about eight tons of pumpkins, and the process was smooth and contamination-free,” Walters notes. “This year, we’re excited that more cities are hosting bins, and we hope having additional locations will increase the food waste numbers.”

Drop-off bins will be available in the following ten locations:

• Pumpkin composting programBeachwood: Across from Beachwood Public Works, 23456 Mercantile Road
• Brecksville: Brecksville Service Department, 9023 Brecksville Road
• Independence: Elmwood Recreation Center, 6200 Wisnieski Parkway
• Lakewood: Kauffman Park, 15450 Detroit Ave.
• Mayfield Heights: City Park, 1533 Chelmsford Road
• Mayfield Village: Village Service Department, 610 SOM Center Road
• Seven Hills: Calvin Park, 2241 Mapleview Drive
• Strongsville: Youth Sports Park, 21255 Lunn Road
• University Heights: University Heights Library, 13866 Cedar Road
• Westlake: Westlake Police Department, 27300 Hilliard Boulevard

Residents can compost broken-up pumpkins in their own backyards, bury them, leave them for wildlife, or donate them to local farms for animal feed, as long as they haven’t been treated with chemicals.

For more information, visit the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District’s website.