Glasgow City Council warns of dangers of leftover pumpkins.

Residents of Glasgow are being advised to properly dispose of their pumpkins this Halloween. The City Council issued the advice to residents on X (formerly Twitter), warning that leaving pumpkins outside to help feed wildlife can be potentially deadly

Instead, the Council are suggesting people donate old pumpkins to local farms to help with fertilizer, to their local community garden, or to help spruce up their own back garden by burying them.

Charities have also expressed concern that some may choose to dump their pumpkins rather than properly dispose of them. The Scottish SPCA has said that “well meaning” people believe that they will be helping to feed birds and other wildlife by leaving them in wooded areas, but this is not the case.

Another organisation looking to protect wildlife across the country, the Woodland Trust, has stated that pumpkins take much longer to biodegrade than people realise, and not disposing of them appropriately will attract mice, rats and other pests.

Instead, the SSPCA suggests adding leftover pumpkins to soups for a healthy and nutritious Halloween leftover feast, or by disposing of them in general household garden waste if this is not an option.