This November, Durham residents have a unique opportunity to recycle their post-Halloween pumpkins in an environmentally friendly way. Bull City Citizen reports that the City, in partnership with Keep Durham Beautiful, will launch a composting initiative to keep pumpkins out of the landfill and contribute to the city’s composting efforts.
Every Saturday, starting November 2, residents can bring whole or carved (but not painted) pumpkins to designated city parks from 8 a.m. to noon. The collection points include:
• CM Herndon Park, 511 Scott King Rd.
• Valley Springs Park, 3805 Valley Springs Rd.
• Rock Quarry Park, 701 Stadium Dr.
• Southern Boundaries Park, 3400 Third Fork Rd.
• Bethesda Park, 1814 Stage Rd.
• Campus Hills, 2000 S. Alston Ave. (parking lot)
It’s important to prepare pumpkins properly: only unpainted pumpkins are accepted, and all decorations, candles, and glitter must be removed. The collected pumpkins will be transported to a composting facility, ensuring they are turned into useful, nutrient-rich compost.
For those unable to make it to a Saturday drop-off, there’s an alternative: the Waste and Recycling Center at 2115 E. Club Blvd. will accept pumpkins and jack-o-lanterns for free, from November 2 to December 7 during regular business hours.
Through these efforts, Durham aims to make composting more accessible and promote waste reduction throughout the community. Stay tuned to Bull City Citizen for ongoing coverage of local environmental initiatives and ways to get involved in keeping our city beautiful.
