Sustainable Pumpkin Disposal
The scariest part of this season isn’t the ghosts and ghouls and skeletons – it’s all the pumpkins that end up in the landfill as the season comes to an end. Though the pumpkin-filled porches and flickering jack-o-lanterns can be a fun seasonal sight, most pumpkins are tossed in the trash and sent off to a landfill, where they can’t decompose properly and end up emitting greenhouse gasses (scary, right??).
Fortunately, the greater Knoxville area has plenty of options to help you avoid sending your pumpkin waste to the landfill – instead, you can compost or share your pumpkins with farm animals! If your pumpkin is still good enough to eat, make a fall recipe and use every part of the pumpkin! Check out our list of local spots below to dispose of your pumpkins sustainably.
Note: Pumpkins for composting and animal feed must be free of paint, glue, stickers, plastic decorations, coatings, and any non-organic materials. If it's going to animals, the pumpkin should still edible and not rotting. Please adhere to these guidelines to make sure your pumpkins are fit for composting and feeding.
City of Knoxville Compost Project
Compost your pumpkins at the City of Knoxville’s free food waste drop-off locations. It doesn’t matter if the pumpkin is carved or starting to rot – rotting is the beginning of the process! Before dropping them off, cut your pumpkins into smaller pieces to make breakdown quicker and easier. Visit their website for more info on drop-off locations and to take their compost quiz to unlock the bins.
4Them Sanctuary
Donate your pumpkins to the rescue animals at 4Them Sanctuary in Sweetwater. Pumpkins can be dropped off at the sanctuary, or they have three drop-off locations around the Knoxville area:
- Comb Together Co on Walker Blvd
- Southern Charm Homes on Cogdill Rd
- Stay Sharp on Hiway Dr in Clinton
Reach out to them on Instagram or Facebook, or send them a text at (865) 230-6191 for more info or if you have a large amount of pumpkins to donate.
Race Family Farmstead
Race Family Farmstead in Lenoir City will feed their chickens and pigs with pumpkin leftovers! Reach out to them on Instagram or give them a call at (984) 833-9139 to set up a drop off day and time.
Five Stones Farm
Five Stones Farm is a regenerative homestead at the base of House Mountain in Corryton, and they will happily accept pumpkins for their animals and compost! Reach out to them on Instagram to organize a drop off or arrange a meetup.
The Pine Branch
The Pine Branch in LaFollette will happily accept your pumpkins for their compost or feeding their animals (chickens, ducks, a cow, a goat, and a sheep). Please only drop off pumpkins during their open store hours (they're only open Wednesday-Saturday).
Little Ponderosa Zoo
Give the Little Ponderosa Zoo and Rescue animals a pumpkin snack! Located in Clinton, this zoo and rescue will accept pumpkins during open hours for feeding their animals. Give them a call at (865) 457-5536 to check in with them for drop-off.
In the past Zoo Knoxville has been able to accept pumpkins. However, due to the loss of elephants (their biggest pumpkin-eaters) earlier this year, Zoo Knoxville is not able to accept pumpkin donations from the public at this time. We will check in with them again next year.
Or maybe you have your own chickens or a neighbor who composts! Check ShareWaste.com to meet neighbors who are open to sharing their compost pile. Keep those pumpkins out of landfill and leave the scares to the skellies and ghosts this season.
Know of other pumpkin drop-off spots around Knoxville? Let us know!