Between Halloween and Thanksgiving, there will be plenty of jack-o-lanterns and fall squash leftover, so don’t let them meet a spooky end in the landfill- instead, compost them with Henderson County Solid Waste!

From November 1 to December 8, residents can bring leftover pumpkins and decorative squash to a special dumpster at the Henderson County Convenience Center. Since September 2017, County residents have deposited about 14 tons of food waste into the bins at the recycling center as part of the Food Waste pilot program. Providing this voluntary collection option is part of the Solid Waste Division’s long-term waste reduction strategy. The collected food waste and pumpkins, mixed with other organic materials by Atlas Organics in upstate South Carolina, eventually become saleable gardening material.

This food waste and pumpkin collection program is for use by Henderson County residents. No household trash or recycling is acceptable in the food waste collection bins or pumpkin dumpster. Only organic materials are acceptable, even painted pumpkins; please remove any candles or other items. The Convenience Center is located at 265 Convenience Center Drive, Hendersonville NC 28791 and is open Monday through Saturday from 7:00 am until 4:00 pm.

For additional information on this and other recycling programs, visit hcrecycles.org or call Environmental Programs at (828) 694-6524.