There are several options residents have to keep their Halloween pumpkins and cornstalks out of the trash, including setting them out with the town of Dartmouth’s curbside yard waste pickup, dropping them off with yard waste at the Water Pollution Control Facility or placing them in a backyard compost bin.

The town of Dartmouth will collect unpainted pumpkins and cornstalks along with grass, leaves and small twigs from SMART Program customers on a customer’s scheduled yard waste collection day. Pick-up begins at 7 a.m.

All pumpkins, cornstalks, grass, leaves and twigs, which shouldn’t exceed ¼ inch in diameter, must be placed in paper bags or loose in barrels and shouldn’t be made too heavy. The yard waste will be composted at the Crapo Hill landfill.

All lights and other items should be removed from jack-o-lanterns before they are put out for collection. Twine, rope, wire or decorations should be removed from cornstalks to ensure the finished compost won’t have any unwanted items that won’t easily break down into nutrient-rich soil amendment.

Pumpkins, cornstalks and yard waste may also be brought to the Water Pollution Control Facility at 759 Russells Mills Road. A transfer station permit is required and available free of charge to SMART Program customers.

Drop-off is available from 7:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and from 7:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. on Saturdays.

Dartmouth residents who aren’t SMART customers can obtain either a day pass for $10 or an annual permit for $50 at the Dartmouth Transfer Station at 976 Russells Mills Road. Proof of residency is required.

Unpainted pumpkins and cornstalks can also be composted in backyard bins, along with fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells, grass, leaves and small twigs.

Residents can purchase compost bins at the Crapo Hill Landfill Scale House at 300 Samuel Barnet Boulevard, New Bedford Monday through Friday from 7:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday from 8 to 10:45 a.m.

The Earth Machine and New Age Composter bins are both available and both cost $25. Orders can only be made in cash or check.

Call the Dartmouth Department of Public Works at 508-999-0740 regarding curbside yard waste collection or 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 with questions regarding composting, recycling and waste reduction.