With Halloween approaching, many families will be carving pumpkins, but this festive activity generates significant waste. In the UK, an estimated 18,000 tonnes of edible pumpkin waste is produced each year, equivalent to around 22 million discarded pumpkins, with an estimated value of £32 million in food waste.
Why Pumpkin Waste Matters
While pumpkins should be composted, they are typically sent to landfill, where they decompose slowly and release methane, a greenhouse gas more potent than carbon dioxide. Improper disposal can also result in fines, making it important to make the most of what's left after carving.
Five Ways to Reuse Your Pumpkin
Here are five ways to use the excess flesh and seeds of your pumpkin before taking scraps to recycling or composting:
- Roasted pumpkin seeds: While carving, save all your seeds and put them in the oven or air fryer with some oil and seasoning of choice until they crisp. This is an easy way to reduce food waste and create a healthy snack.
- Pumpkin broth: Boil or microwave the flesh of the pumpkin, which you can then use for soup, pies, or even a hummus.
- Pumpkin seed pesto: Use the pumpkin seeds as a replacement for pine nuts when making pesto, a great cheaper alternative.
- Bird feeder: If you aren't a fan of pumpkin yourself, you can repurpose your whole pumpkin by putting the washed seeds back into your carved pumpkin and hanging it from a tree to create an easy bird feeder.
- Face mask: Blending the pumpkin flesh with a bit of honey and a dash of cinnamon creates a vitamin-rich and clean ingredient face mask.
Proper Disposal
Once you have repurposed as much of the pumpkin scraps as possible, you can find out where you can properly dispose of the remainder of waste on the Liverpool City Council website.
