Composting pumpkins in Clark County a great way to give pumpkins a second life after seasonal celebrations

VANCOUVER – As seasonal celebrations end, Clark County residents are encouraged to compost pumpkins and jack-o’-lanterns instead of tossing them in the garbage. Composting returns valuable nutrients to the soil and supports healthier gardens and landscapes.

Millions of Halloween pumpkins end up in landfills throughout the United States each year. In landfills, pumpkins and other biological waste produce methane, a greenhouse gas at least 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Composting reduces landfilled waste and helps maintain fertile, productive soil.

Clark County residents have several options for composting their pumpkins.

• Pumpkins can be composted at a We Compost Community Hub for free. Community hubs are open to all residents year-round and accept all food scraps. Locations are available throughout Clark County and can be found on the We Compost webpage at ClarkWeCompost.org.
• Curbside yard debris service
• Residents of unincorporated Clark County who subscribe to curbside yard debris service can dispose of pumpkins in their yard debris carts in October and November.
• Residents in incorporated Vancouver and Ridgefield who subscribe to curbside organics service can dispose of pumpkins in their carts year-round.
• Residents in Camas and Washougal cannot dispose of pumpkins in their yard debris carts.
• Pumpkins can be chopped into smaller pieces and added to backyard compost bins or piles. Residents can learn how to compost at home at a Composter Recycler fall workshop. Information is available at clarkcountycomposts.org/workshops.

Before composting carved or decorated pumpkins, all paint, glitter, decorations, wax and candles must be removed. Residents planning to paint their pumpkins and then compost them are encouraged to use water-based paint that washes off easily. If paint and decorations are not washable, the decorated skin should be removed using a vegetable peeler and disposed of in the garbage. If paint or other decorations cannot be removed, the pumpkin should be disposed of in the garbage.

To further reduce waste before composting, save and toast the pumpkin seeds for a healthy snack, and puree the pumpkin for fall recipes.

Residents can learn more about sustainable pumpkin disposal at clark.wa.gov/public-works/clark-county-green-neighbors.

For information about road and park projects, closures, opportunities for community input, and more, residents can follow Public Works on X (formerly known as Twitter), Facebook and Instagram and view information on Nextdoor. Residents can also visit clark.wa.gov/public-works to sign up for email notifications.

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Information provided by Clark Co. WA Communications.