JACKSON, Wyo. — With Halloween in the rearview mirror, it’s a good time to think about where those spooky Jack-o’-Lanterns are going to end up.
Teton County Integrated Solid Waste and Recycling (ISWR) is offering free pumpkin composting throughout the month of November. In order to keep pumpkins out of the landfill and to avoid attracting wild animals to the porch, dispose of pumpkins properly with options from ISWR.
Just like garbage and pet food, leftover holiday pumpkins have the potential to become a tasty snack for wildlife. Food scavengers can be attracted to the gourds, which can increase dependency on human-provided food sources. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) says that food outside of an animal’s typical diet can cause illness.
“This time of year we get many calls about sickly deer fawns and much of this can be attributed to these deer eating foods that offer little nutritional value and that they have a difficult time digesting,” WGFD Biologist Stan Harter said in a prior statement. “This makes them susceptible to parasites and other diseases.”
Spent pumpkins can be dropped off at two locations for free throughout the month of November:
- Teton County Recycling Center: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Trash Transfer Station: Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon.
Pumpkins will also be accepted at the free Fall Clean Up Day at the Teton County Fairgrounds on Friday, Nov. 6.
“To help ensure healthy compost, pumpkins must be free of paint and decorations,” ISWR said in an announcement. “Remove candles, lights, stickers and any other added materials before dropping them off. Composting gives pumpkins a useful afterlife, keeping them out of the landfill and returning nutrients to the soil.”
