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This Halloween, Suffolk County Council is encouraging Suffolk residents to make the most of their pumpkins this autumn instead of sending them to landfill sites.

Every year, one million pumpkins are sold across the country, 99% of which were bought for making Halloween lanterns and the vast majority of these are tossed in to the bin once Halloween is over.

This Halloween, Suffolk residents are reminded that as well as using the shells for carving, the flesh of the pumpkins can be used to make many delicious recipes such as pumpkin lasagne, pumpkin soup or pumpkin pie. In addition, any bits of the pumpkin that aren't used such as the seeds and the old lantern shell can be added to your home composting bin. There they will break down safely and help provide a nitrogen rich ingredient to make compost, which is a nutritious addition to your garden soil.

Seasonal events such as Halloween highlight the horrific waste of food from households each year with up to £400 worth of food per household discarded each year.

By minimising food waste with creative cookery and composting the inedible parts of fruit and vegetables such as pumpkin shells, huge amounts of organic waste is diverted from landfill sites. When sent to landfill, the organic waste breaks down without oxygen and produces methane, a greenhouse gas. When added to the compost bin, the waste breaks down aerobically, which is good news for the environment. What's more, you can use the compost to grow pumpkins for next year, completing the organic cycle. This way you have fresh, delicious fruit and vegetables in your garden for autumns to come.

Compost bins are available for Suffolk residents from as little as £8, so there has never been a better time to start home composting. To find out more ring 0845 077 0757 or visitwww.recyclenow.com/compost

For instructions on how to carve a pumpkin lantern, pumpkin recipes and more information on how to reduce your waste to landfill please visit