Seven North Shore towns set dates for pumpkin composting

Residents across the North Shore face a decision this week regarding the fate of their carved pumpkins. Instead of placing these items in the garbage, seven local municipalities and park districts have scheduled specific windows for composting. The programs are designed to keep decomposing produce out of landfills, a process that generates greenhouse gases and can leach pollutants into waterways.

The drop-off periods are short and staggered across the next six weeks. Some events are one-day affairs, while others span several weeks. The earliest deadline is in Skokie, where the window closes on November 1. The latest acceptance period ends in Northfield on November 17. Most locations operate during daylight hours, with a few exceptions in the late afternoon.

Winnetka is the first municipality to open its composting program. The Village of Winnetka will accept pumpkins from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4. The drop-off location is at 1390 Willow Road. Residents must remove candles and bags before adding the produce to the Public Works Department's compost. The village website specifies that other food scraps or landscape waste are not accepted. If a resident cannot attend on November 4, they may leave pumpkins next to their leaf piles for collection, provided the items are visible and not inside the pile to protect collection equipment.

Kenilworth offers a long drop-off window alongside a single event day. A large garbage bin will be stationed at the end of Richmond Road near Townley Field from November 2 through November 13. The village and the Kenilworth Park District will also host a Pumpkin Smash Party on Tuesday, November 3, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. at Townley Field, 410 Kenilworth Ave.

Highland Park and Highwood residents can compost their pumpkins on Friday, November 6. The event runs from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at The Preserve of Highland Park, 1207 Park Ave. West. The park district notes that participants will learn about sustainable practices during the event. Pumpkins must be free of candles, yarn, glitter, stickers, and plastics. Painted pumpkins are accepted if they were treated with acrylic paint.

Wilmette provides two days for drop-off. On Saturday, November 7, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., residents can bring pumpkins to the parking lots of Centennial Park, 2300 Old Glenview Road, or Wilmette Village Hall, 1200 Wilmette Avenue. On the second day, Monday, November 28, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., only Centennial Park will accept the items. The village asks residents to remove candles and decorations before dropping off the pumpkins.

Glencoe will host its Annual Pumpkin Smash on Saturday, November 7, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Glencoe Community Garden, 385 Old Green Bay Road. A collection dumpster will also be available from October 29 to November 11 outside the garden's south gate, located off Harbor Street between the Metra tracks and the Green Bay Trail. Clean, plain, carved pumpkins, and gourds are accepted. Noncompostable items such as candles, wax, stickers, paint, and glitter are not.

Skokie's one-day event takes place on Sunday, November 1, from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the northwest corner of Oakton Street and Floral Avenue. The event is located outside the Skokie Farmer’s Market. The village asks residents to look for a special dumpster and to remove ribbons, googly eyes, stickers, and other non-compostable materials.

Northfield offers the longest window for drop-off. Residents can compost their pumpkins at the Northfield Community Center parking lot, 401 Wagner Road, from October 30 through November 17. The event is organized by the Village of Northfield, the Northfield Park District, and Go Green Northfield. Painted pumpkins are accepted, but nonorganic items like candles and stickers are not.