How to safely dispose of your Halloween pumpkins 🎃
The public are being urged not to leave them in woodlands
Last updated 3rd Nov 2022
Now that Halloween is all done and dusted, many are probably wondering what to do with their pumpkins. While some will have just been put in the compost, or kitchen bin, there is a growing trend to look at other more sustainable options.
As people are now beginning to dispose of their Halloween pumpkins the Woodland Trust has appealed for members of the public to be responsible with them, with some well-meaning people making the mistake of leaving them in the woods.
In fact, pumpkins can make hedgehogs very ill, and Paul Bunton, Engagement and Communication Officer at the Woodland Trust, said it can also cause problems with the soil.
"Pumpkin flesh can be dangerous for hedgehogs, attracts colonies of rats and also has a really detrimental effect on woodland soils, plants and fungi," he explained.
"We can’t leave dumped pumpkins to rot so we end up with an orange mushy mess to deal with at many of our sites."
Instead, the Woodland Trust suggest using your old pumpkins as a bird feeder (which must be off the floor), or donating them to farms and zoos, where suitable, as they can be used for animal feed.
Meanwhile, Forest of Dean District Councillor Richard Leppington said: "While plenty of supermarket pumpkins are grown locally here in the UK, there is still an environmental cost in transporting millions of pumpkins across the country that are discarded once the fun is over, and the carbon emissions that result from this.
"We would still encourage residents to home compost or recycle their leftover pumpkins using the weekly food waste service where appropriate."
This year, new research by environmental charity Hubbub, has predicted over half of the 39.9 million pumpkins bought this Halloween will go to waste, that's 22.2 million pumpkins, costing around £32million!
Check out some of the best things about Halloween season:
1) Elaborate pumpkin carving
Now we're old enough to be trusted with a knife, we can carve out some crazy-good designs!
2) An excuse for fancy dress
Weeks are spent trying to find the most elaborate fancy dress, even if we end up just throwing a sheet on.
3) Watching horror films
You can get in the Halloween spirit before the day by watching all the creepy films you weren't allowed to as a kid.
4) Eating all the treats without feeling guilty
It's Halloween, of course - we can eat all the treats!
5) Dressing up your pets
We aren't sure they love it as much as we do, but dressing up your dog in a Halloween fancy dress costume is quite popular these days.
6) We can make Halloween themed food
Love Halloween? Love tasty treats? Well why not combine the two and whip up some horrors that taste awfully good!
Now read:
13 of the most iconic horror film scenes from The Exorcist to Saw
Reasons why we love Halloween 🎃
Disney+ shares list of Halloween films and TV shows 🎃