The Union County Board of County Commissioners, in coordination with the Union County Bureau of Recycling and Planning, is encouraging all Union County residents to join in and make this traditionally orange holiday season a little greener! Union County residents can recycle their Jack o’ Lanterns after Halloween by participating in the Pumpkin Recycling Program, returning this November.
“Last year, Union County residents helped keep nearly ten tons of pumpkins out of the waste stream simply by choosing to recycle them,” said Union County Commissioner Chairman Joseph C. Bodek. “That’s a meaningful result from a simple action. We encourage residents to use any of our five drop-off locations this November and help turn their Halloween pumpkins into a source of renewable energy.”
Pumpkins will be collected at municipal departments of public works and brought to an organic waste recycler in Elizabeth, where they will be turned into green energy. This program will be coordinated by the Union County Bureau of Recycling and Planning.
Over the years, this program has been very successful in keeping pumpkins out of the waste stream. In 2025, this program kept nearly ten tons of pumpkins from being “wasted” by going into the waste stream. Instead, these pumpkins were digested and used to create electricity, which feeds the power grid. This generated electricity then powers homes and businesses in Union County.
For the 2026 season, there will be five municipal drop-off locations for residents to bring their pumpkins. Residents from any municipality in Union County can use any of the five locations, regardless of their hometown.
The program will be running from Monday, November 2nd through Monday, November 30th, at the following locations:
Elizabeth | 523 Trenton Avenue
- Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm
- Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
Kenilworth | 401 Sheridan Avenue
- Fridays from 7:00 am to 2:30 pm
- 2nd Saturday of the month from 7:30 am to noon
Plainfield | 95 Rock Avenue
- Monday through Friday from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm (drop-off until 2:45 pm)
Union Township | 1 Swanstrom Place East
- Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm
Westfield | 1300 Lamberts Mill Road
- Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm
- Saturday and Sunday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Residents should be advised that only pumpkins will be accepted at these locations; other food waste will not be accepted. Candles and decorations must be removed.
When the Pumpkin Recycling Program concludes, the pumpkins will be sent to the CORe facility in Elizabeth, which is operated by Waste Management. The company’s specialized recycling process converts food waste into organic slurry, which is used to enhance the production of biogas and other renewable products at local wastewater treatment plants.
Food Waste is a global issue that contributes to excess greenhouse gas emissions, placing financial burdens on local governments for waste disposal. As per the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), there is approximately 133 billion pounds of food which is wasted every year domestically. This is 30% to 40% of the food supply in the United States. This historically adds up to roughly $161 billon thrown away annually.
Traditionally, food waste is sent to landfills or burned in waste-to-energy facilities. However, organic recycling systems, such as CORe, offer a more sustainable approach to managing food waste.
Union County residents can also help reduce food waste by using up leftovers and donating unused shelf items before their sell-by date expires.
For more information regarding recycling programs in Union County, visit the Bureau of Recycling and Planning website at www.ucnj.org/recycle or call them by phone at 908-654-9890.
Quick links to all Union County environmental programs and activities are available at The Green Connection, www.ucnj.org/green-connection.