10+ Best Ways to Keep Halloween Pumpkins Out of Landfills!

Alternatives to Landfills for Pumpkins

09/16/2023

Danielle Alvarado

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Looking for the best ways to keep pumpkins out of landfills?

Witch hats off to you for deciding to do something about pumpkin pollution! Instead of tossing our jack-o’-lanterns into the bin, it’s time to explore some easy sustainable alternative fates for these bewitching fruits.

Here are the top ways to repurpose or Recycle Your Halloween Pumpkins in 2023.

P.S. Don’t forget to check out the 20 Best Homemade Halloween Costumes For A Low Waste Halloween!

Best Ways to Keep Halloween Pumpkins Out of the Landfills in 2023.

best ways to keep pumpkins out of the landfills

Delicious pumpkins, carved with wicked grins and illuminated by flickering candles, may bring us delight for a night, but their journey doesn’t end there.

Instead of becoming a yummy meal, or a nutrient-rich compost, many of them find themselves in a ghastly final resting place — the landfill.

As November rolls around, in the United States alone, over 1 BILLION pounds of pumpkins are tossed away in the trash. Unused. Discarded without ever serving their true purpose in life: to be eaten.

This 1 billion pounds of pumpkin waste is part of an ever-increasing problem in the United States.

We are already at more than 119 billion pounds of food waste each year, and the holiday season seems to be the scary icing on the cake of waste. To put it into perspective, 119 billion pounds equate to 130 billion meals and more than $408 billion in food thrown away each year.

All of this wasted food left to rot in landfills produces methane gas which is far more potent than carbon dioxide. Food is meant to break down into the earth, feed the earth, and aid in the creation of new plant life. By tossing into landfills, we are denying nature its most basic needs. Let’s stop this, shall we?

So, how do you not waste pumpkins for Halloween?  Here are the best ways to keep Halloween pumpkins out of landfills!

What is the environmental impact of Halloween pumpkins?

First and foremost, there’s the sheer quantity of pumpkins grown specifically for Halloween, often without considering sustainable agricultural practices. In fact, an estimated 1.91 billion pounds of pumpkins are grown each year in the United States alone!

This mass cultivation consumes vast amounts of water, fertilizers, and pesticides, contributing to soil degradation and harming local ecosystems.  

Moreover, transporting pumpkins from farms to stores to our homes involves significant energy consumption and carbon emissions.

Once purchased and carved, these pumpkins ultimately end up as waste in our trash bins, only to be transported again to landfills, compounding their environmental impact.

Waste is not the only issue here. The environmental impact of Halloween pumpkins extends to the terrifying consequence of this negligence: methane gas production.

As those once-jovial jack-o’-lanterns decay among mounds of other organic waste in the oxygen-deprived depths of landfills, organic matter like pumpkins undergoes anaerobic decomposition. Methane is a gas far more potent than carbon dioxide in its capacity to trap heat and accelerate climate change.

It’s a silent, invisible threat that is up to 84 times more potent as a greenhouse gas over a 20-year period than carbon dioxide.

Luckily, there are many great ways to repurpose or recycle your Halloween pumpkins in 2023.

Do pumpkins break down in landfills?

Yes, pumpkins and other organic materials can break down in landfills, but the decomposition process in landfills is quite different from what occurs under ideal conditions, like in a compost pile. In a landfill, organic matter is typically buried under layers of non-organic waste, and the lack of oxygen (anaerobic conditions) slows down the decomposition process. 

This anaerobic decomposition produces methane gas, a potent greenhouse gas that is far more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. So, while pumpkins can eventually break down in landfills, the process is slow and environmentally harmful due to the methane emissions. If you’re wondering, “What can you do about pumpkin pollution?” Keep reading!

How long does it take for a pumpkin to decompose?

The time it takes for a pumpkin to decompose can vary depending on several factors, including environmental conditions, size, and the presence of microorganisms. In a typical composting setting, where conditions are optimized for decomposition, a pumpkin can decompose within a few weeks to a couple of months. Composting provides the necessary oxygen and microorganisms that speed up the breakdown of organic materials.

In contrast, if a pumpkin is disposed of in a landfill, the decomposition process is much slower due to the lack of oxygen (anaerobic conditions) and the compression of waste in landfills. Under these conditions, it can take several months to several years for a pumpkin to break down fully. That’s why it’s important to know all the ways to keep Halloween pumpkins out of landfills this year. 

How many pumpkins are wasted during Halloween?

Around 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins end up in landfills yearly in the USA alone.

In the UK, a whopping 18,000 tonnes of pumpkin ends up in the bin only to be sent to landfills where they break down and emit methane gas.

Let’s not forget that Halloween is widely celebrated in many countries, with millions of people participating in pumpkin carving and other related activities. That’s a huge amount of waste!

This blog post is all about ways to keep Halloween pumpkins out of landfills. 


10+ ways to keep Halloween pumpkins out of landfills.


1. Compost the Halloween Pumpkins

Composting Halloween Pumpkins

Yep, it can be this easy. If your pumpkin is all beaten up, kinda gross, and just ready to go, you can compost it.

If you already have a compost, then you are most likely already doing this. For those who do not have or do not know how to compost, you can have a compost company come pick it up!

Check out your local area and find one near you. Simply google your city/town + halloween pumpkin pickup or compost!

Many cities/towns have a Halloween pumpkin pick-up program to avoid the landfill issue.

In Illinois, the non-profit recycling and compost company Scarce has been hosting a day-after-Halloween pumpkin pick-up. It has drop-off points all over Illinois, and it is doing some amazing work!


2. Smash the Halloween Pumpkins!

best ways to keep pumpkins out of the landfills

Ever heard of a pumpkin smash? If you haven’t, it’s never too late to join in on the fun.

Pumpkin smashes are great fun and a great way to get the pumpkins back to where they belong: Into the Earth. This can be as elaborate or as simple as you wish. Smash as you feel appropriate!

Some cities like to fling pumpkins with large slingshots (these are so much fun to watch).

Others like to use huge sledgehammers. It’s all up to you. The point is to get everything to BRING their used/unused pumpkins to one area, smash them down, and add to a compost pile/truck to avoid the landfill.

Hundreds of tons of pumpkins have been successfully composted this way! How fun!


3. The Perfect Animal Feed

Sustainable Halloween Pumpkins

So many animals love to munch on a yummy pumpkin. Farms all over the world love to have used pumpkins dropped off to feed their animals.

Zoos are also always looking for used pumpkins – so be sure to give any local farms/zoos a call and ask if they would like yours! 

If you live amongst nature, you can leave your pumpkins outside (Far enough from your home to avoid fear) for the local deer to feast on your pumpkins – they love it!

There’s also the crazy cool idea of turning your old pumpkin into animal treats! Check out the links below for pumpkin dog treats, purree and biscuit recipes!


Best Pumpkin Recipes for Animals:


4. Roast some pumpkin seeds

Food Waste Prevention

So simple and delicious.

Separate the seeds from the guts and lay out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Sprinkle with sea salt and roast at 300F/150C for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For an extra flavor boost, add some vegan butter!


Best Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipes:


5. Create a Pumpkin Planter

Repurposing Jack-o'-Lanterns

There’s a good chance that your Halloween pumpkins are all carved up and scary-looking. What is one supposed to do with this? It’s destroyed, yes? Think again!

Take your scary jack-o-lantern and plant something inside. Growing plants inside a hollowed-out pumpkin is genius and it works remarkably well. You can use it as a gorgeous indoor planter until the pumpkin begins to break down. 

Once it begins to break down, simply dig a hole outside and plant it into the ground!

The pumpkin will break down into the earth, acting as a natural fertilizer, and your plant will live a beautiful, well-nourished life.


6. Make Some Delicious Pumpkin Puree

Sustainable Halloween Pumpkins

If you are a big fan of canned pumpkin puree, then you are going to fall head over heels in love with homemade pumpkin puree. It tastes SO much better. To be honest, I ONLY use homemade pumpkin puree. 

Pumpkins are so easy to come by over here and baking them is a breeze. I like to chop up, bake at 400F/200C until soft and then peel the skin from the flesh.

I mix the flesh by hand or in a food processor and store it in my refrigerator until I need it to bake some pie, use it in smoothies, create a soup, or even pancakes!

Remember that you can freeze your homemade puree as well. It will last for months if properly sealed. You can never have too much puree in my opinion! Skip the cans and make your own.


Best Pumpkin Puree Recipes:


7. Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Alternatives to Landfills for Pumpkins

People do not often think of smoothies when they are carving a pumpkin, but our family sure does.

Pumpkin smoothies are one of our all-time favorites – it’s delicious.

Once you have baked and created your homemade pumpkin puree, add it to your next breakfast smoothie.

Sprinkle it with cinnamon and a splash of vanilla extract to create a pumpkin pie-tasting treat!


Best Pumpkin Pie Smoothie Recipes:


8. Homemade Halloween Pumpkin Butter

Pumpkin Recycling Tips

Create our very own pumpkin butter (think more almond butter than dairy butter) and have a gorgeous treat for breakfast, snacks, or dessert! This butter goes great on toast, to pair with roasted sweet potatoes, or even with some pancakes. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Butter: 

  • 2 cups homemade pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp pumpkin spice
  • 3/4 cup water

Add all ingredients to a stockpot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then simmer on very low. Stir often until the mixture has turned dark in color and is somewhat caramelized. Be sure to continue stirring to avoid burning.

Once thick – remove from heat and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This will last 10 days in the refrigerator.


9. Homemade Gut Vegetable Broth

Food Waste Prevention

My children love the “guts” of the pumpkin more than anything else. In fact, I think I do too! It was always so fun to scrape out all the seeds and gut strings from the inside of the pumpkin with loud screeches of “EWWW” and “GROSS” echoing throughout our Chicago house. Oh, the memories.

Here’s what you do: Separate the guts from the seeds. Have your kids do it – they’ll love it. Then, toss the guts into a stockpot with any and all veggie scraps that you have from the week. If you don’t have enough quite yet, add the guts to a freezer-safe bag and just continue to stock up on scraps until the bag is full. Once full – make your stock.

Homemade Vegetable Broth: 

  • Pumpkin String Guts
  • Any and all veggie scraps from celery, mushrooms, carrots, etc.
  • Water

Add all of your scraps and guts to a large stock pot and fill 2 inches over with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low for 30 minutes to 2 hours. I like to go longer or use my instant pot and do it that way. The water should change to a darker color. Strain the veggies out so you have yourself some homemade stock.


10. Pumpkin Candy

best ways to keep pumpkins out of the landfills

For this, you will just need the skin and flesh. Chop up the hollowed-out pumpkin into chunks and add to a saucepan and cover with water.

Cover and bring to a boil. Once the pumpkin flesh softens, stir in 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 tsp pumpkin spice. Continue to boil for a few more minutes until a syrup is formed.

Keep covered and sit overnight. We are allowing the pumpkin to soak in all of that sugar syrup to make candy.

The next day, place the pumpkin pieces on a wire rack to dry!


Best Pumpkin Candy Recipes:


11. Donate those Halloween Pumpkins

Alternatives to Landfills for Pumpkins

Pumpkins are food and there are so many people in the world and in your local area in need of this food.

Donate your unused pumpkins to shelters or donation programs to help feed your community.

CompostCab, located in Washington D.C., was able to donate over 3,000 pounds of pumpkin to those in need. Amazing.


This blog post is all about ways to keep Halloween pumpkins out of the landfills.

See? There are so many clever ways to keep Halloween pumpkins out of the landfills.

Whatever you do, just keep the pumpkins out of the trash bags and landfills and find new ways to use Halloween Pumpkins!

Luckily, you can easily recycle your Halloween pumpkins from the comfort of your own home too!

Get creative, do your thing, but stop the trash cycle. Pumpkins don’t belong locked up in plastic bags. Period.

If you liked this post, you’ll definitely want to check out these other posts from SKL:

how to sustainably get rid of halloween pumpkins
how to compost pumpkins

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