Residents can bring any pumpkin to any designated location for green power conversion.

Union County, NJ – Residents of Union County can put their Jack o ‘Lanterns to good use after Halloween by participating in the Union County Pumpkin Recycling Program, which returns in November after being a smash hit. last year.

The pumpkins will be collected by Union County along with other local governments and taken to an organic waste recycler in Elizabeth, where they will be turned into green energy.

“The Pumpkin Recycling Program is a simple and convenient way for Union County residents to support the renewable energy industry, which creates new jobs and helps improve the health and well-being of our communities.” county commission chairman Alexander Mirabella said. “We hope the #SmashItDontTrashIt pumpkin recycling campaign will raise awareness of how we can prevent food waste from going to waste. “

Three locations will be available for residents to drop off their pumpkins. Residents of any municipality in Union County can use any of these locations, regardless of their city of origin.

The program runs on weekdays only from Monday, November 1 to Friday, November 12, and each location is open from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The locations are:

• 101 Berkeley Avenue in Berkeley Heights (the Berkeley Heights public works department, next to the new municipal complex)
• 523 Trenton Avenue in Elizabeth (the Elizabeth Municipal Recycling Yard)
• 1300 Lamberts Mill Road in Westfield (the Westfield Conservation Center)

Only pumpkins will be accepted at these locations; other food waste is not accepted. Candles and decorations must be removed.

Residents are advised to wear masks and respect social distancing when laying down their pumpkins.

The Pumpkin Recycling Program will send pumpkins to a treatment facility in Elizabeth operated by the Waste Management Company. The company’s proprietary recycling system converts food waste into organic sludge, which is used to increase the production of biogas and other renewable products at municipal wastewater treatment plants.

Food waste is a global problem that contributes to excessive greenhouse gas emissions while imposing waste disposal costs on local governments. In the United States alone, more than 52 million tonnes of food is moved within the United States each year by some estimates.

Traditionally, food waste is sent to landfills or burned in waste-to-energy facilities. New organic recycling systems offer a more sustainable way to manage food waste.

Residents of Union County can also help reduce food waste by using leftovers and donating unused shelf items before their expiration dates expire.

For more information, upcoming dates, and directions to all Union County recycling programs and locations, visit the Bureau of Recycling and Planning website at ucnj.org/recycle or call the recycling hotline at Union County at 908-654-9889.

To receive schedule alerts and stay up to date with county and Union wide recycling programs in Union County, download the free Recycle Coach mobile app.

Quick links to all Union County environmental programs and activities are available at The Green Connection, ucnj.org/green-connection.

For more information and updates on all Union County services during the COVID-19 outbreak, including free immunizations, free tests, emergency food distribution, and other services support, visit ucnj.org/covid19. General information on COVID-19 is available from the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health.

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For all Union County programs and services, visit ucnj.org, call the public information line, 877-424-1234, email [email protected], or use the online contact form.

Connect with Union County on social media.