Community composting events encourage pumpkin recycling and environmental awareness
As the fall season comes to an end, many households are left with pumpkins that have served as festive decorations throughout autumn. While these pumpkins may seem harmless when discarded, they can create environmental challenges if sent to landfills.
To address this issue, Illinois Extension is encouraging communities to participate in Pumpkin Smash events that promote responsible recycling and composting.
Illinois is recognized as the leading pumpkin-producing state in the United States. With millions of pumpkins grown and used each year, proper disposal becomes increasingly important. When pumpkins are thrown into landfills, they decompose without oxygen and produce methane, a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. They can also release excess moisture that may affect nearby environments.
Kathryn Pereira, University of Illinois Extension local foods and small farms educator, emphasized the importance of proper pumpkin disposal. She said, “Many do not realize that a thrown-away pumpkin does not break down and disappear on its own without leaving a trace.”
To help reduce environmental impacts, Illinois Extension and SCARCE, an environmental nonprofit organization, are partnering to host Pumpkin Smash events across the state. Similar programs exist across the country. These events provide residents with a fun and educational way to recycle pumpkins while supporting composting efforts. Participants can bring pumpkins from their homes, neighborhoods, schools, or workplaces and dispose of them responsibly.
According to organizers, Pumpkin Smash events have produced significant environmental benefits over the years. Since 2014, more than 1,600 tons of pumpkins have been composted through Illinois Pumpkin Smash programs. These efforts have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 1,200 tons of carbon dioxide and diverted more than 345,000 gallons of water from landfills.
Discussing the program’s growing impact, Kathryn Pereira, University of Illinois Extension local foods and small farms educator, said, “Year after year, more local events continue to pop up across the state, benefiting communities, partnerships, and making strides in environmental efforts through responsibly recycled, composted pumpkins.”
The process is simple. Participants remove non-organic materials such as candles, paint, ribbons, and decorations before dropping off pumpkins at designated collection sites. Following the events, the pumpkins are transported to composting facilities where they are transformed into nutrient-rich compost that supports soil health.
In addition to reducing landfill waste, Pumpkin Smash events provide valuable educational opportunities. Participants learn about composting, recycling, sustainability, and environmental stewardship. These events also help discourage illegal dumping of pumpkins and yard waste in natural areas, where such materials can negatively affect wildlife and ecosystems.
For those unable to attend a Pumpkin Smash event, composting can still be done through local waste services, private composting providers, or home compost systems. Proper composting prevents methane production and returns valuable organic matter to the soil.
Through community participation and environmental education, Pumpkin Smash events continue to demonstrate how small actions can create meaningful environmental benefits while encouraging responsible waste management across the state.
Photo Credit: Pexels - Krisztina Papp