Staat calls on people not to throw away their pumpkins

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – Halloween has come and gone, and the state is asking people not to throw away their pumpkins.

Michigan grows 79 million pounds of pumpkins annually, ranking fourth in the nation. After every Halloween, a billion pounds of pumpkins are thrown away in landfills across the country, creating harmful methane gas.

“Most people throw away their pumpkins, but there are better uses for those pumpkins,” Aaron Hiday said.

Hiday is a compost and organic waste expert at the state Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE). He suggests that people leave their pumpkins in their gardens or in wooden enclosures for animals. He also suggests composting by raking up the pumpkin waste with leaves so it turns into soil the following spring.

“It’s better for the environment if you take your pumpkins with you if you can feed them to animals if you compost them. There are some communities that, if they haven’t done pumpkin collections yet, are starting now,” Hiday explains.

A local place to drop off your pumpkin is at the Mitten Misfits Farm Sanctuary in Grand Ledge. The shelter cares for at-risk farm animals and asks for pumpkin donations to feed them.

“It is very heart-warming to see the animals enjoying themselves, they are in a natural environment and have lots of space to walk around. They get fresh food, and in this case they get food that would otherwise be thrown away,” explains Bob Worthy of Mitten Misfits.

The sanctuary partners with nonprofits to give children with autism and veterans the opportunity to spend time with the animals.

They are asking people with leftover pumpkins, including businesses, to drop off their pumpkins at the shelter located at 8650 W Mt Hope Hwy, Grand Ledge, MI.

You can also drop off pumpkins at the Delhi Township Recycling Center. They use the pumpkins to feed the sheep, which helps maintain the wastewater treatment plant.

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