Pumpkin Composting

SWALCO Pumpkins for web page

What is the Pumpkin Smash?

The Pumpkin Smash is an annual effort by communities to divert pumpkins from landfills by providing locations for residents to drop-off jack-o-lanterns to be composted. It is held each year the Saturday after Halloween.  Don’t Trash it, Smash it!

2022 Lake County Pumpkin Collection Event Locations

Prairieland Disposal 
November 1 through November 30, 2022
Monday - Thursday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Friday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
1350 N. Old Rand Rd., Wauconda, IL 60084

Wauconda Township Office - Free Compost Give Away at this location
November 5 through November 13, 2022
8:00 am to 4:30 pm
505 W. Bonner Rd., Wauconda, IL 60084

Village of Libertyville - Adler Park Pool Parking Lot - Free Compost Give Away at this location
Saturday, November 12, 2022
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
1500 North Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville, IL 60048
Sponsored by: Sustain Libertyville Commission

College of Lake County
Saturday, November 5, 2022
9:00 am to Noon
19351 West Washington Street, Grayslake, IL 60030
Sponsored by: CLC Sustainability Council

Village of Grayslake - Daniel Barry Skate Park Parking Lot 
Saturday, November 5, 2022
9:00 am to Noon
Across from Grayslake Library, 100 Library Lane, Grayslake, IL 60030
Sponsored by Grayslake Central High School, Village of Grayslake, and Grayslake Public Library

Village of Gurnee - Village Hall Parking Lot
Saturday, November 5, 2022
9:00 am to Noon
325 N. O’Plaine Road, Gurnee, IL 60031

Mundelein Park District - Keith Mione Community Park
Friday, November 4, 2021
Noon to 5:00 pm
1401 North Midlothian Road, Mundelein, IL 60060 

Vernon Hills Park District - Maintenance Building
Friday, November 4, 2022
7:00 am to 4:00 pm
1400 Indianwood Drive, Vernon Hills, IL 60061


Health & Safety Precautions: All attendees must wear a mask over their nose and mouth and practice social distancing. Please do not attend if you or someone in your household is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. Thank you for ensuring this is a safe event!

Host a Pumpkin Smash

Host a Pumpkin Smash in your town to help your neighbors green their Halloween. Download and review the guide to hosting your own Pumpkin Smash and then register your site.
Download the Guide

Register your site here

DON'T TRASH IT SMASH IT - Why Keep Pumpkins Out of the Landfill?

Composting is nature’s way of recycling with many benefits:

  • Avoids landfill greenhouse gas emissions from decomposing organics (currently, landfills are the 3rd largest producers of methane in the U.S.!)
  • Produces a useful, nutrient-dense soil amendment

Pumpkins are 90% water which is great for our soil, not so good in our landfills

More Information

For more information contact SWALCO at (847) 377-4950.