The city of Columbus Division of Refuse Collection will host drop-off sites after Halloween and Election Day for residents to sustainably dispose of pumpkins, gourds, and yard signs. The drive-through service will prevent these items from being landfilled or contaminating yard waste and the residential blue recycling containers serviced by the city’s collection program.
Carved jack-o-lantern with candles removed, full and moldy pumpkins, and gourds are acceptable to drop off for composting at the drive-through sites. Pumpkins decorated with paint or permanent marker cannot be accepted.
The pumpkin drop-off collection sites will operate on three Saturdays — Nov. 4, Nov. 25 and Dec. 2 — from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Columbus Refuse Collection transfer stations:
•2100 Alum Creek Dr.
•1550 Georgesville Road
•4260 Morse Road
To reduce contamination, pumpkins may not be dropped off at the city’s three food scraps drop-off sites.
The drive-through yard sign recycling event will be held on Nov. 11 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Alum Creek Refuse Collection station, 2100 Alum Creek Dr. Residents also have the option to take their signs to SWACO’s sign recycling event location at the Bill McDonald Athletic Complex, 4990 Olentangy River Road, from 8 a.m. to noon on Nov. 11.
All paper, plastic and coroplast signs (including metal stands) will be accepted and recycled free of charge thanks to a partnership with Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio.
Plastic and coroplast signs, and their metal stands should not be put in the residential blue recycling containers due to the materials used to make them. However, it is acceptable to put paper yard signs (without metal stands) in the blue cart.
