Pumpkin Composting

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 soon after Halloween. Bring your pumpkins and gourds for composting, but please remove any candles, decorations, and other materials. Non-toxic paint is acceptable.

See you at a Smash!

2025 Lake County Pumpkin Collection Event Locations

The following are confirmed Pumpkin Smash locations for 2025. Stay up to date with announcements by subscribing to SWALCO's newsletters, following us on socials, and keeping an eye on our website!

All-Month Smash

  • LRS
    • Monday - Thursday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
    • 1350 N Old Rand Road, Wauconda, IL 60084

Saturday, November 1, 2025

Sunday, November 2, 2025

Thursday, November 6, 2025

Friday, November 7, 2025

Saturday, November 8, 2025

  • College of Lake County - Washington Street Entrance
    • 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
    • 19351 West Washington Street, Grayslake, IL 60030
    • Located at the north end of campus in the practice fields near the Washington Street entrance
    • Organized by the Horticulture Department, Engineering Club, and Sustainability Council
  • Village of Grayslake - Grayslake Area Public Library Parking Lot -  Free BYOB Compost Giveback at This Location
    • 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
    • 100 Library Lane, Grayslake, IL 60030
    • The Compost Giveback will be located at the Village of Grayslake Skate Park parking lot, located on the East side of Library Lane, across from the Grayslake Area Public Library
    • In partnership with the Grayslake Central High School's Environmental Science Students
  • Hawthorn Shopping Center
    • 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
    • 122 Hawthorn Ctr, Vernon Hills, IL 60061 - Outside AMC Theatres
  • Village of Lincolnshire - North Park
    • 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
    • 1025 Riverwoods Road, Lincolnshire, IL 60069
  • Wauconda Township - Township Office - Free BYOB Compost Giveback at This Location
    • 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
    • 505 W Bonner Road, Wauconda, IL 60084

Saturday, November 15, 2025

What is a BYOB (Bring Your Own Bucket) Compost Giveback event?

At Compost Giveback events, SWALCO provides a large volume of compost, allowing folks to touch, smell, and experience its benefits. Residents can bring their own bucket to take home their own compost. Compost Giveback locations have a limit of up to four five-gallon buckets of compost per person.

Host a Pumpkin Smash

Host a Pumpkin Smash in your town to help your neighbors green their Halloween. Merleanne Rampale from SWALCO has written a comprehensive guide for your community or organization to help you plan your Giveback event from beginning to end.  You can incorporate it into another community event you already have planned, like ICAW (International Compost Awareness Week), Pumpkin Composting/Smash, Public Works Open House, or any other community event, or have it stand alone.  Please read further, as it is filled with many additional resources and ideas to help you promote the importance of composting and utilizing compost, and all the benefits for our local community and environment.  SWALCO can offer help and other resources, so please reach out and contact us anytime. 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 United States!)
  • 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.