Don’t trash your pumpkins! NJ county turns your Halloween waste into clean energy

♻️  Union County turns old Halloween pumpkins into renewable energy.
🌱  Residents can recycle pumpkins Nov. 3–28 at six local sites.
🔥  Recycled pumpkins help create biogas, not landfill waste.

What do you do with those carved-out jack-o'-lanterns and other whole pumpkins sitting on your porch once Halloween is over?

One New Jersey county doesn’t want you to throw them away. Recycle them, instead.

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The Union County Board of County Commissioners and the Union County Bureau of Recycling and Planning are encouraging all residents to participate in the Pumpkin Recycling Program.

Union County launches pumpkin recycling program after Halloween

Union County residents can recycle pumpkins and other gourds from Monday, Nov. 3, through Friday, Nov. 28, at any of the six participating locations, regardless of their hometown.

Only pumpkins and gourds will be accepted. Please remove candles and decorations. Other food waste will not be accepted during this program.

Recycled pumpkins to be converted into renewable biogas in Elizabeth

When the Pumpkin Recycling Program concludes, all the collected pumpkins will be sent to the CORe facility in Elizabeth, where a specialized recycling process converts food waste into organic slurry, which is used to enhance the production of biogas and other renewable products at local wastewater treatment plants.

“Our pumpkin recycling program gives the pumpkins we’ve enjoyed carving, decorating, and displaying this season a new, greener purpose. It’s one more way we can reduce the strain on our public landfills and keep our environment clean and flourishing,” said Union County Commissioner Chairwoman Lourdes M. Leon.

Cutting food waste helps fight climate change and landfill overload

Food waste has been a global issue that contributes to excess greenhouse gas emissions, placing financial burdens on local governments for waste disposal. Traditionally, food waste is sent to landfills or burned in waste-to-energy facilities. However, new organic recycling systems offer a more sustainable approach to managing food waste.

Pumpkin drop-off sites open across Union County, Nov. 3–28

Berkeley Heights

DPW facility located next to Town Hall | Mon. through Fri. from 6:30 am to 3:00 pm
1st and 3rd Saturday of the month from 9:00 am to noon

Elizabeth

523 Trenton Avenue | Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 6 pm
Saturdays 8:00 am to 4:00 pm | Sundays 8:00 am to 4:00 pm

Kenilworth

401 Sheridan Avenue | Fridays from 7:00 am to 2:30 pm
2nd Saturday of the month from 7:30 am to noon

Plainfield

95 Rock Avenue | Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm (drop-off until 2:45 pm)

Union Township

1 Swanstrom Place East | Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm

Westfield

1300 Lamberts Mill Road | Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm
Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

For more information, visit the Bureau of Recycling and Planning website.

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