A council worker turned TikTok influencer has urged households to check their local authority's rules before putting Halloween pumpkins out for collection, recommending food waste caddies as a simple disposal option.
The No1 Binman, who has more than 217,000 followers and nearly four million likes on TikTok, said collection rules can vary between councils. In a recent video, he reminded viewers to use their food waste containers rather than automatically throwing old pumpkins into the general rubbish.
Check Council Rules Before Collection Day
He said: "You might have to check with your councils because some councils allow you to put the pumpkins next to the bin or on the bins, absolutely fine."
He explained that some local authorities may require pumpkin remains to go inside the food waste caddy, rather than being left loose beside it. He advised people to check the arrangements before collection day to avoid their pumpkin being left behind.
The No1 Binman also suggested getting food waste bags if people plan to break up their pumpkin before putting it in the caddy. In the video, he explained: "So do check before and it's probably a good idea to get food waste bags if you're going to try and mush it down because they just fall apart after a while."
Official Advice on Pumpkin Recycling
Official advice backs the message that pumpkins should not automatically end up in the rubbish bin once the spooky season is over. Wales Recycles encourages households to put inedible pumpkin leftovers in their food waste caddy, while Warwickshire County Council says unused pieces can be recycled through its kerbside service or composted at home.
However, the exact instructions depend on where you live, including whether a whole pumpkin can be left next to the caddy or needs to be cut into smaller pieces. Residents should check their council's website for local guidance and remember to remove candles, wax, lights and other decorations before recycling the pumpkin.
Final Reminder for Caddy Users
The No1 Binman also had one final reminder for anyone using a food waste caddy during the Halloween rush. He said: "So happy carving your pumpkins, but make sure you bring your food caddy bin in, I'm just going to say that, bring your food caddy bin in and you can just empty it straight into it."
Before throwing the pumpkin away, households could also use the edible flesh and seeds in recipes such as soup, roasted seeds or pumpkin pie. WRAP's Recycle Now and Love Food Hate Waste campaigns encourage people to make use of as much of their pumpkin as possible before recycling what remains.
