Families celebrating Halloween in Cornwall this week are bing urged to save money - and the planet.
Scary statistics have revealed a few horrifying facts about how much waste is generated on October 31, says Cornwall Council.
In the first fortnight of November last year, 125 tonnes of Halloween costumes and 180 tonnes of pumpkin flesh were thrown away.
Now the Council’s waste and recycling team is reminding people that the spooky celebrations don’t need to cost the earth.
‘This year’s Halloween is a great opportunity for households to reduce, reuse and recycle,’ said Sue James, who is cabinet member for the environment on Cornwall Council.
‘Love your pumpkins – there are lots of recipes out there to help you make the most of them. And if you don’t want to eat them, compost them instead.
‘Small actions like these can make a big difference and help reduce the amount of rubbish we generate.’
Data collected by Cornwall Council shows that 42% of residents in the county buy pumpkins at Halloween - but that more than 157,000 pumpkins end up uneaten after October 31. Most of this food ends up at the Cornwall Energy Recovery Centre to be incinerated.
Halloween decorations and confectionary packaging can be recycled with the kerbside waste collection, says Cornwall Council.
Find out how to have a greener Halloween with six easy waste reduction tips at www.cornwall.gov.uk/halloweenrecycling