23 October 2007
What would Halloween be without a ghoulish pumpkin lantern?
But here’s a scary fact for you – after Halloween hundreds of pumpkins will just be put in the bin generating needless waste.
Transport and Technical Services (TTS) are reminding us that once the fun of Halloween is over, the left over pumpkin seeds and pulp can go straight into home composters and pumpkin shells can be broken up and composted too.
As part of efforts to reduce waste on the island, TTS provide low cost home composting kits which are available at most garden centres priced at £10. Since this initiative started in 2004, more than 2,000 composting kits have been sold. Help is also on hand to assist you in getting good quality compost from your compost bin, either by calling the Home Composting Helpline number: 448448 or by downloading a booklet filled with tips from www.gov.je/recycling.
Even if you are unable to home compost you can still recycle your pumpkin by taking it, along with any garden waste, to the Green Waste Site situated at La Collette. Please make sure that your pumpkins are clean so any paint, candles and candle wax must be removed.
Lou Wagstaffe, Compost & Reclamation Sites Manager, said ‘This is a fantastic time of year to start home composting. As soon as you start you will notice that your kitchen and garden waste reduces and you’ll be creating a marvellous natural product to help your garden bloom. You could even be growing pumpkins in your own compost next year!’
To help raise awareness of home composting amongst other ways to recycle and reduce waste, the TTS Recycling Team will be at Fais'sie d'Cidre at
Hamptonne Country Life Museum on Saturday 27th October and Sunday 28th October. The team is bringing the Recycling Roadshow Trailer which is solar powered and includes many facts and figures about how we can ‘slim our bin’. There will also be a children’s composter maze which is a fun adventure for anyone under 3 feet tall!
gov.je