What is scarier than witches, ghosts and ghouls at Hallowe’en? According to a food waste campaign, its the 15 million pumpkins binned every year - enough to make a bowl of pumpkin soup for everyone in Britain. 

Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP) has joined the ‘Pumpkin Rescue’ campaign, by food waste champions, Hubbub, to stop so many ghostly gourds go to waste this Hallowe’en.

This October, the DWP is setting out on the campaign trail to urge Dorset residents to turn their Halloween decorations into delicious soups, pies and tarts. 

Research by the Pumpkin Rescue campaign said only 33 per cent of people who buy Hallowe’en pumpkins cook the edible part they carve out. 

According to the campaign, 18,000 tons of edible pumpkin ends up in the bin each year which is enough to make 360 million portions of pumpkin pie and weighs the same as 1,500 double decker buses.

The campaign aims to encourage people to spare a thought for the environment this Hallowe’en and “discover tasty simple ways to eat your pumpkin guts”.

A spokesperson for DWP said: “To support the campaign and also promote our kerbside food waste service, we’re doing a few Halloween-themed roadshows. 

“We’re out reminding people about the weekly food waste service and if they can’t or don’t want to eat their pumpkin when they’re finished with it, they should use their food waste bin to recycle it.”

Residents with gardens are encouraged to compost their pumpkin skin. 

From October 17, DWP are setting up Pumpkin Rescue stalls across Dorset to help customers recycle their food waste, and avoid their pumpkins going to landfill. 

They will also be providing information on reducing food waste, composting, pumpkin recipes and there will be a free lucky dip. 

Having already set up stands at Morrisons in Verwood and Dykes in Stalbridge the DWP roadshow will be visiting the following: 

  • Tesco, Blandford - Thursday 19th October 
  • Asda, Gillingham - Thursday 26th October 
  • Co-op, Sturminster Newton Friday 27th October