BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Rather than throwing old Halloween pumpkins in the garbage, Western New Yorkers have the eco-friendly option to drop off these pumpkins at compost collection locations.
The Buffalo River Compost, a division of NOCO, has partnered with ten local garden centers to host a pumpkin collection. Neighbors can drop off their old pumpkins, which NOCO will later turn into compost.
"I usually throw them [pumpkins] in the garbage, or put them out by the curb," Paul Bene, who was dropping off his pumpkins, said. "I'm happy to get rid of them in a way that is responsible ... to put them to good use."
This is the second time NOCO has hosted this composting event.
"We're never sure how the first one is going to go," Pierre Aubertin, director of sales for NOCO, said. "But we collected over 6,000 pounds of pumpkin last year."
Aubertin said the Buffalo River Compost is hoping to do the same, if not better, this year.
With Friday being the first day of collections, Ken Parker, nursery manager of the English Gardener, said he has already seen a steady stream of pumpkin drop offs.
"At 10 o'clock, I came out here, and the cars were lined up; people were dropping their pumpkins in," Parker said. "It's very exciting, and I think it's a positive thing."
Aubertin and Parker both stressed the many benefits of composting.
"I think it's the greatest thing for your garden," Parker said. "I call it 'black gold,' the finished product. It's like a multivitamin for your garden and vegetables."
In addition to being an alternative to chemical fertilizers, Aubertin said this compost serves as a reminder of the importance of composting.
"It's a fun way to bring awareness to the need to compost, it introduces people to it, and it's certainly much better than throwing the pumpkins away in your garbage can."
According to Aubertin and the FDA, approximately 40% of food produced in the United States is wasted, ending up in landfills.
This pumpkin drive is a small step to help lessen these landfills, and boost the idea of composting.
"It's a great natural cycle," Parker said. "You're contributing to a positive thing for the Earth."
Pumpkins can be dropped off at any of these ten locations on Friday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. :
• Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave., Buffalo
• Busy Beaver Lawn and Garden, 4415 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg
• Dearborn Street Community Garden, corner of Dearborn and Hamilton, Buffalo
• The English Gardener, 400 Harlem Road, Snyder
• Erie County Compost Site, 11581 Walden Ave., Alden
• Groundwork Market Garden, 1698 Genesee St., Buffalo
• Lud’s Landscaping, 320 Rhode Island St., Buffalo
• Masterson’s Garden Center, 725 Olean Road, East Aurora
• Pelion Gardens, 212 Best St., Buffalo
• Tripi’s Landscaping, 3812 South Park Ave., Blasdell
For more information, click here.
