How to catapult — or just compost — your pumpkins in Michigan post-Halloween

Michigan is encouraging residents to recycle pumpkins to keep waste out of landfills
Cities are hosting pumpkin-smashing and catapult events, turning composting into fall celebrations
Residents can use EGLE’s directory to find drop-off sites and tips for composting at home

Michigan grows mountains of pumpkins each year, and some towns are finding creative ways to help residents get rid of them after Halloween, including catapult contests and community composting events.

Michigan produces 79 million pounds of pumpkins a year, making it the fourth-largest producer in the country, according to the Michigan Ag Council, an organization that promotes the state’s agricultural industry.

But simply putting your pumpkins in the trash after Halloween can have consequences, because when they break down, they release methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

“Many landfills still do not have methane capture systems and methane capture systems still can’t collect all the methane produced in a landfill,” said Arron Hiday, the compost coordinator for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy.

Instead, state environmental officials are encouraging Michiganders to recycle and compost their pumpkins. You can find drop-off sites through EGLE’s recycling directory by searching for places that accept “food scraps.”

Smashing — and catapulting — pumpkins

In some communities, that simple pumpkin drop-off has turned into a full-blown fall celebration.

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Traverse City will host its second Pumpkin Smashing Extravaganza on Saturday, inviting residents to “smash their pumpkins at various activity stations” around the city’s in-vessel composting unit.

Last year, the city exceeded its goal of collecting one ton for composting after participants donated three tons of pumpkin waste.

Michigan State University is hosting a “Pumpkin Plop,” collecting pumpkins for compost through Nov. 15.

Eaton County Parks and Recreation Department hosted its second Pumpkin Chuck at Fitzgerald Park in Grand Ledge over the weekend.

Participants were able to smash, dunk, catapult, and paint pumpkins they donated. They could also purchase additional pumpkins to chuck for $1 or exchange canned goods or recyclables.

A man smashing a pumpkin. — Last year, Traverse City collected three tons of pumpkins during its Pumpkin Smashing Extravaganza. (Courtesy of Traverse City)

People look at a catapult used to fling pumpkins. — Eaton County residents donated their jack-o’-lanterns for a chance to slingshot them in the air during the county’s Pumpkin Chuck in Grand Ledge. (Courtesy of the Eaton County Parks Department)

“Our county is pretty much overrun with Halloween festivities,” said Clara Alderman, event coordinator for Eaton County Parks. “We wanted to do something different … as well as make an event that is sustainable and environmentally friendly.”

Over 500 people attended and brought pumpkins, including “two trailers full” from Morgan Farms in Eaton Rapids, Alderman said.

Getting your pumpkin ready for drop-off

Not only does recycling pumpkins reduce volumes at landfills, but it can also be used to feed animals like pigs, goats, sheep, chickens and horses.

While other wildlife enjoy snacking on pumpkins, leaving them on your porch or even dumping them in natural areas for animals like deer, squirrels and raccoons to eat can promote the spread of diseases.

Blue recycling bins. — Pumpkins that are thrown away often end up in landfills, where they decompose and produce methane. An environmentally friendly alternative is recycling them for compost. (Courtesy of Traverse City)

Composting, meanwhile, can help improve soil quality and acts as a natural fertilizer for plants.

Before you donate your pumpkin, it’s important to remove any candles or tea lights in the pumpkin, as well as any stickers or other items used to decorate the pumpkin.

As mentioned above, you can use EGLE’s recycling directory to locate the closest recycling sites using their zip code and “food scraps” in the search bar.

If you can’t make it to a drop-off site, you can also compost your pumpkins at home using yard waste. EGLE has additional tips for composting.