23 October 2020

Council shares annual reminder to reduce food waste this Halloween season

Aberdeenshire Council is urging residents to recycle their pumpkins and turnips responsibly this Halloween by cooking them at home and placing any leftovers in the food waste caddy.
 
Pumpkins can easily be incorporated into many delicious recipes, including soups, curries, pies, and other tasty dishes.

Alternatively, pumpkins can be recycled as food waste by chopping them up and putting them in your food waste caddy. If you don’t fancy chopping them up, they can also be placed on any of your bins on your collection day.

Food waste is collected every week in Aberdeenshire.
 
In addition to pumpkins and turnips, other materials that can go in your food waste caddy include peelings, leftovers, expired food, bones, tea bags, coffee grounds, kitchen roll and eggshells.
 
Food waste recycling is not only cheaper than landfilling, but it also benefits the environment.
All food waste collected in Aberdeenshire is sent to Keenan Recycling, where it is converted into compost and used on farmers’ fields across Aberdeenshire.
 
Andrew Sheridan, Waste Team Manager at Aberdeenshire Council, said: “Every year, we encourage residents to divert their pumpkins and turnips from landfill by disposing of them responsibly, either by cooking them or putting them in their food recycling.
 
“Many people do not realise that supermarket carving pumpkins are edible, so we encourage householders to get creative with their recipes this season and help avoid unnecessary waste. 

“If you are celebrating Halloween this year, remember to follow government restrictions on meeting other people and keeping a safe distance.”
 
For more information on what you can put in your food caddy, please visit: http://bit.ly/RecycleAtHome
 
If you have any questions about pumpkins or food waste recycling, please contact us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AberdeenshireWaste/