October 29, 2024
Dartmouth – There are many options for giving your Halloween pumpkins second lives while keeping them out of your trash. Set them out with the Town of Dartmouth’s curbside yard waste pickup, drop them off with yard waste at the Water Pollution Control Facility, or place them in your backyard compost bin.
Set Out for Curbside Yard Waste Pickup
The Town of Dartmouth will collect unpainted pumpkins and cornstalks along with grass, leaves, and small twigs from SMART Program customers on your scheduled yard waste collection day. The remaining fall dates for the Town of Dartmouth’s SMART Program curbside yard waste collection follows:
- Monday & Tuesday solid waste collection routes have yard waste collection in 2024 on Friday, November 8
- Wednesday & Thursday solid waste collection routes have yard waste collection in 2024 on November 1 and November 22.
Pick-up begins at 7 a.m. All pumpkins, cornstalks, grass, leaves, and twigs (not to exceed 1/4 inch in diameter) must be placed in paper bags or loose in barrels. Please do not make bags or barrels too heavy.
The yard waste from Dartmouth residents is delivered to the Crapo Hill Landfill where it is composted. If you made a jack-o’-lantern, remove all lights and other items before placing the pumpkin out for yard waste collection. Please remove any twine, rope, wire, or decorations from cornstalks. This will ensure the finished compost doesn’t have any unwanted items that will not easily breakdown into nutrient-rich soil amendment.
Drop Off at Water Pollution Control Facility
Pumpkins, cornstalks, and yard waste may be brought to the Water Pollution Control Facility at 759 Russells Mills Road, Dartmouth. A transfer station permit is required and available free of charge to SMART customers. Hours for the yard waste drop-off area are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 7:30 a.m. – 3:15 p.m. and Saturdays 7:30 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. Dartmouth residents who are not SMART customers can obtain either a day pass ($10) or an annual permit ($50) at the Dartmouth Transfer Station, 976 Russells Mills Road. Proof of residency required.
Compost in Backyard Bin
Unpainted pumpkins and cornstalks can be placed in your backyard compost bin along with fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells, grass, leaves, and small twigs. Dartmouth residents may purchase compost bins at the Crapo Hill Landfill Scale House, 300 Samuel Barnet Blvd., New Bedford, Monday through Friday 7:15 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and Saturday 8:00 – 10:45 a.m. The Earth Machine and the New Age Composter are both available at a cost of $25 each. Cash, check, or money order only. No credit or debit cards.
Call the Dartmouth DPW at (508) 999-0740 regarding curbside yard waste collection or the yard waste drop off at the Water Pollution Control Facility. Contact the Greater New Bedford Regional Refuse Management District by email at Marissa@gnbrrmdistrict.org or by phone at (508) 979-1493 about composting, recycling, or waste reduction.