URBANA, Ill. — Like the changing of the leaves, fall can seem fleeting. Enjoy seasonal vibes — until the porch pumpkins start to decay. When that happens, where do the pumpkins go?
“Many do not realize that a thrown-away pumpkin does not break down and disappear on its own without leaving a trace,” says Kathryn Pereira, University of Illinois Extension local foods and small farms educator.
The reality is pumpkins are organic waste that, when included in the trash, fill landfills, release the greenhouse gas methane as they decompose, and leach water into nearby waterways.
With Illinois consistently being the top producer of pumpkins in the U.S., that adds up to piles of pumpkins filling landfills. Illinois needs to be a leader in both production and reducing environmental impacts.
Help reduce harmful environmental impacts by smashing and recycling pumpkins at a local Illinois Extension Pumpkin Smash community composting event in early November. The events will have a dumpster for recycling pumpkins, with a little added smash-and-fun.
Illinois Extension’s smash events are in collaboration with SCARCE, an Illinois environmental nonprofit that started Pumpkin Smashes in 2014. Illinois Extension joined the effort and hosted its first Pumpkin Smash in 2019.
According to SCARCE, Illinois Pumpkin Smashes have composted over 1,600 tons of pumpkins since 2014, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 1,200 tons of carbon dioxide. These events have also diverted over 345,000 gallons of water from landfills.
“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,” says Pereira.
Extension-sponsored pumpkin smashes are planned throughout Illinois with events in Cook, Kane, Lee, Macon, and McDonough counties, and more on Nov. 7. McLean County is hosting one on Nov. 1, and one location in Cook County is on Nov. 8. Additional events and dates may be added.
Visit the links below for the most up-to-date fall season calendar of events. How the events work can vary by location, so start with the instructions below.
Pumpkin Smash Instructions
- Find a smash event site near you by checking out the calendar at go.illinois.edu/PumpkinSmash or SCARCE.org/Pumpkins.
- Collect pumpkins from the home, neighborhood, school, or workplace.
- Remove candles, ribbons, paint, and any other non-organic materials.
- Drop off pumpkins at a smash site on the date and time of the specific event. Each site may vary in the available methods for smashing or depositing pumpkins.
- The pumpkins are transported to a composting facility following the event.
Those who cannot attend a smash event may still be able to compost through their local trash provider, private service, or by starting a compost pile. Properly composted pumpkins do not produce methane and do contribute to soil health. Learn how to get started composting at extension.illinois.edu/compost.
There is no cost to attend Extension pumpkin smash events. For questions or if you will need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, visit the local county event information and contacts at go.illinois.edu/PumpkinSmash.
More Reasons to Recycle Pumpkins
While smashing a pumpkin can be stress-relieving, the educational opportunities that accompany many of the events help Extension reach people of all ages to provide education on recycling, composting, and the environmental challenges the world faces today. It is important to enjoy the fall season and pumpkins while learning how to care for the world.
Another benefit of the events is a decrease in the number of pumpkins dumped on private property or in nature preserves. Doing so is littering, illegal, and can harm wildlife. In the fall, natural areas often become dumping spots for yard waste, pumpkins, straw, and other organic decorations. Animals are often drawn to the dumped waste, and increased vehicle traffic can put them at risk of being hit.
SOURCES: Kathryn Pereira, local food systems and small farms educator, Illinois Extension; Emily Steele, media communications manager, Illinois Extension, in Have a smashing good time composting Halloween pumpkins
WRITER: Jenna Braasch, media communications coordinator, Illinois Extension
PHOTO CAPTION: A person safely smashing a pumpkin at an Illinois Extension composting event, helping to reduce waste and emissions, one pumpkin at a time. Photo Credit: Narcy Robles, Plant Chicago. The photo is available for media download, credited to Narcy Robles, Plant Chicago.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 500 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.