BUFFALO, N.Y (WBEN) - Looking for a way to get rid of your Halloween pumpkins that isn't throwing them in the trash bin? You might want to give composting a try.
Buffalo River Compost is a company that accepts leftover pumpkins, turning them into a hummus-like soil enhancer that can be used in home gardens and farmland.
"It creates a whole microbial community below the soil that you never really get to see," said Bobbie Thoman, Director of Sustainability and Innovation at Buffalo River Compost during an interview with Brian Mazurowski and Susan Rose Wednesday morning.
Thoman says every year hundreds of thousands of pumpkins are sent to landfills, wasting vital nutrients that can be repurposed as fertilizer.
It's the second year in a row Buffalo River Compost is accepting leftover pumpkins after collecting 6,000 pounds of pumpkins last year.
There's a couple other environmentally friendly ways to dispose of your pumpkins according to Thoman.
"You can feed them to your farm animals. You can bury them deep into your garden beds and turn them into soil themselves."
The drop-off period runs from Nov. 3rd-Nov. 5th between 10a.m. and 4p.m.
The ten drop-off locations are listed below.
-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