Guernsey Waste is encouraging islanders to conjure up some delicious autumn treats with their Halloween pumpkins.
A scary amount of waste is produced over Halloween every year and people are encouraged to reuse as much as possible and ensure that anything left over on 1st November gets disposed of properly.
Waste minimisation & sustainability officer Douglas Button (pictured) said: ‘’Waste reduction can start with the traditional Halloween pumpkin. Islanders buy thousands each year to carve as jack-o-lanterns or for decoration, but the best (and tastiest) parts of the pumpkin are often forgotten about and end up being thrown away.”
Lots of delicious pumpkin recipes can be found here, including pumpkin lasagne, spicy pumpkin soup and an autumnal pumpkin tart. Any leftover pumpkin can be recycled with your food waste or in your home composting, along with any other organic kitchen waste.
People are also encouraged to think about the amount of single-use plastics they consume during Halloween, from sweet wrappers to costume items.
Many Halloween decorations and costumes can be reused in following years, helping people to plan ahead and save money.
Mr Button added: “Through a few small steps, people can have fun at Halloween while limiting any negative impacts on the environment. It’s all about trying to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as we can.”
Here are some of Guernsey Waste’s top tips:
- Keep your Halloween decorations and costumes in a dressing up box ready for the following year. You will not only save money but already have everything in hand.
- To help tackle plastic pollution, try to recycle as much as possible. Remember that it’s only household packaging such as tubs, trays and bottles that can go into your blue bag.
- Other plastic items such as bulky plastic toys, buckets and containers can be recycled in the rigid plastics bin at the Household Waste & Recycling Centre.
- Sweet wrappers need to go into the general waste, but any foil can be combined until you have a piece the size of a tennis ball which can go into your blue bag.
- Carved pumpkins should be placed in your food waste caddy. Depending on their size you may need to chop them up first. Alternatively, if you have home composting you can place your pumpkin in there with any other organic kitchen waste.
