'Pumpkin Smashes' offer eco-friendly solution to Halloween cleanup

CHICAGO - With Halloween just around the corner, the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County is reminding residents to keep pumpkins out of local woods once the holiday is over.

Officials warn that discarded pumpkins, which are not native to the area, can harm the ecosystem and create unhealthy microhabitats as they rot.

The district also says tossing pumpkins in forest preserves is illegal and could result in fines. Instead, they encourage residents to consider eco-friendly disposal options, like composting at home or participating in "pumpkin smash" events.

These events, held in dozens of towns across the Chicago area, allow people to bring their pumpkins to a designated site where they’ll be composted responsibly.

A full list of pumpkin smash events is available on SCARCE’s website at scarce.org/pumpkins.