Have you ever wondered what happens to pumpkins that get thrown away? There are better ways to dispose of leftover Halloween Pumpkins than throwing them in the trash. Columbus, Ohio recommended some other ways to get rid of rotting pumpkins on November 1, 2024.
One major Halloween tradition for a lot of people is to carve a pumpkin into a Jack-O-Lantern. If you’ve done this before though, you know that they start to get rotten and droopy a little while after carving them. When they get to this stage, most people would simply throw them away, not even thinking about where they will go. Most of them end up with the other trash in landfills, which can be problematic since they have a hard time breaking down in such environments. According to an article for The Columbus Dispatch by Jordan Laird, “But don’t throw out your pumpkins with your trash or yard waste, officials warn, as they have a hard time breaking down in landfills” (Laird, November 1, 2024).
One main solution to this pumpkin predicament is to compost it at your home. This will help get rid of any unnecessary food waste, and be helpful for the people who work at landfills. Columbus, Ohio also says that you can drop your pumpkins off at recycling centers in the area. Rachel Ramsey’s article for NBC4i.com says, “Several places across central Ohio will accept your leftover pumpkins and gourds” (Ramsey, November 1, 2024).
Another way to get rid of your pumpkins is to donate them to local farms. Rotting pumpkins, gourds, and squash can all be eaten by farm animals such as pigs, cows, and chickens. You can even eat uncarved pumpkins by using them to make pies and other foods. The seeds are also edible, and you can roast them for a nice fall snack. According to Rachel Ramsey’s NBC4i article, “You can scrape out the seeds of your pumpkin and roast them for a treat. Uncarved, fresh pumpkins can also be used to make pies, breads, soups, and more” (Ramsey, November 1, 2024).
In summary, there are many ways to prevent pumpkins from becoming problems at landfills. You can compost them or make them into a snack for you or some farm animals.
