Halloween, like many holidays, is a time for decorating, eating and having a good time with loved ones. However, like many other seasonal holidays, Halloween can produce a lot of waste. An exploratory study in the UK found that approximately 83% of the material in 324 clothing items promoted through online platforms of retailers were oil-based plastic which are likely to end up in landfill. This is equivalent to the weight of 83 million Coca Cola bottles! Plastic is not only found in the clothes themselves, but also in wigs, toys, decorations, candy wrappers, and more. Moreover, when November rolls around to mark the end of Halloween, these items are more often than not thrown away.
About 15% of all unwanted garments are reused or recycled however the vast majority, 85%, end up in landfills. But it doesn’t have to be this way, especially since Halloween occurs during Waste Reduction Week and Circular Economy Month! There are various ways to celebrate Halloween more sustainably and reduce the amount of waste you produce.
Don’t forget to participate in our Trash to Art Halloween contest in collaboration with the Environmental Action Committee! Dig into your craft boxes and your recycling to create great displays and costumes from what you have lying around.
Here are some resources to help get you started:
- A Comprehensive Guide On How To Make Halloween Eco-Friendly
- Haunted by Halloween waste? Try these 5 low-waste tricks