Save Your Halloween Jack-o-Lantern from Going to Waste and Transform it into Compost

Halloween celebrations have long included decorative pumpkins which are often tossed into the trash after the holiday. This year, Waste Management of Orange County invites residents to give their jack-o-lantern a second life by disposing of it in their green waste cart so it can be transformed into compost and put back in the pumpkin patch.

“As the nation’s largest residential recycler, Waste Management is always looking for ways to transform waste into something good for the environment after special events and holidays,” said Eloisa Orozco, spokesperson for Waste Management of Southern California. “Organic waste, like this season’s decorative pumpkins, can be composted and reused as fertilizer to help produce healthier lawns, plants and flowers.”

To properly dispose of pumpkins, residents should remove any materials such as candles, glow sticks and non-vegetative decorations and place the pumpkin in their green waste cart.

Residents can also drop off their pumpkin from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m., Nov. 3 through Nov. 7. The pumpkin drop-off site is located at the Buy Back Center at Irvine Hauling 16122 Construction Circle East, Irvine, CA 92606.

The following are additional tips to help reduce, reuse and recycle this Halloween.

• Cook the pumpkin seeds: Pumpkin seeds make a delicious treat. When carving jack-o-lanterns this year, save the seeds and roast them afterward. This is an easy, fun and tasty way to use up every little bit of the pumpkin and create a healthy snack too.
• DIY decorations. Use repurposed materials from the recycling bin to make unique Halloween decor. Creating your own hair-raising decorations will put less stress on your wallet and the planet.
• Hold a costume exchange party. Halloween costumes are often worn only once. By trading costumes with a friend, last year’s outfit can get another wear and you can get something new.
• Leave the car at home. Orange may be the color of the season but you can still think green this Halloween! Rather than driving to other neighborhoods, stay close to home and trick-or-treat in your neighborhood to reduce fuel consumption and air pollution.
• Trick or treat with recyclable bags. Canvas, cloth or other reusable bags are an earth-friendly and affordable alternative to plastic jack-o-lantern buckets. Decorate recyclable bags or old pillowcases with spooky scenes to create a one-of-a-kind carryall to take home sweet treats.
• Leave only footprints after trick-or-treating. Candy wrappers are a big source of litter on the streets this season. Dispose of your own wrappers and carry an extra bag to pick up garbage along the way. Your neighborhood will thank you for this environmental trick.

ABOUT WASTE MANAGEMENT
Waste Management, Inc., based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. It is also a leading developer, operator and owner of waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. The company’s customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more information about Waste Management visit www.wm.com or www.thinkgreen.com.