Howard County is bringing back its eco-friendly initiative to beat back the tide of wasted gourds this fall season. The Department of Public Works' Bureau of Environmental Services is resurrecting its pumpkin collection program, now tagged "Pumpkin Palooza." The initiative is designed to encourage residents to compost their pumpkins instead of consigning them to the trash heap.
Following the end of Halloween celebrations, the pumpkins that once festooned doorsteps and windowsills usually find their way to the landfill, but Howard County is taking steps to encourage residents to give their leftover holiday decorations a second act as compost. As per Howard County Executive Calvin Ball, "Each year, it is estimated that Americans toss out more than one billion pounds of pumpkin with their trash. Through our Pumpkin Palooza program, residents can help divert pumpkins from our Alpha Ridge Landfill and give them new life." Since its start in 2021, the program has kept nearly 24,000 pounds of pumpkins from landfill fate, according to a statement obtained by Howard County's official news.
From November 1st through the 15th, drop-off sites will be open at the County's Robinson Nature Center in Columbia, with varied availability throughout the week. Further, Howard County's Alpha Ridge Landfill will accept pumpkins at its Residents' Convenience Center from Monday to Saturday. Two green 'Hungry Hippo' containers will serve as the receptacles for the festive fruits, as well as other food scraps.
The County isn’t stopping at simple collection; it's also putting on an event, dubbed the annual Pumpkin Palooza celebration. Slated for November 16, attendees can look forward to an afternoon of games, composting demos, food trucks, and more at the Howard County Library System’s Miller branch in Ellicott City. People are encouraged to bring their pumpkins to swiftly drop off at the celebration where they will find a new life as compost. Howard County residents also have the option to set out their pumpkins on their usual food scrap collection day, as part of the curbside Feed the Green Bin program, to seamlessly integrate into the composting process.
