Waste, Waste, Waste… The Scariest Side to Halloween

While Halloween thrills us with frightful fun, the amount of waste it generates is enough to make us truly shudder. From pumpkins to costumes and decorations, Halloween waste is on the rise in the UK, leaving a ghastly footprint on the environment.

The Haunting Facts Behind Halloween Waste in the UK

Let’s take a closer look at the chilling statistics. According to recent reports, around 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste are generated in the UK during Halloween each year, with the main culprits being costumes,  accessories, and decorations. A survey found that a terrifying 83% of Halloween costumes are made from oil-based plastics and will likely be used only once before ending up in a landfill. Not to mention, single-use plastic items like fake cobwebs, masks, and trick-or-treat buckets only add to this mountain of waste.

If that’s not spooky enough, recent figures reveal that UK consumers are expected to spend over £776 million on Halloween, increasing sharply from £12 million in 2001, over consumption leads to excess waste with many costumes landing in landfill. This means that the fun-filled night comes at a terrifyingly high environmental cost.

How to Make Halloween Less Horrifying for the Environment

• Rethink Your Costume: Instead of buying new, why not reuse last year’s costume or visit a charity shop? Swapping costumes with friends or upcycling clothes can give your look an eco-friendly edge. You can also create a homemade costume with household items or sustainable materials.
• Choose Sustainable Decor: Ditch the plastic decorations and go for reusable or natural alternatives like fallen leaves, and candles. Making your own Halloween decorations from paper or fabric is also a great way to keep waste down and add a unique touch to your decor.
• Plan Trick-or-Treating Sustainably: Encourage kids to use reusable bags, like tote bags or pillowcases, for collecting sweets instead of single-use plastic bags.

How Can We Help with Pumpkin Pollution This Halloween?

Every year, a staggering 17 to 24 million pumpkins are purchased across the UK to mark Halloween, with Brits spending an impressive £29 million to get into the spooky spirit. The good news? Between 10 to 15 million of these pumpkins are grown locally and harvested in the UK. But there’s a chilling downside to this Halloween tradition.

It’s estimated that around 13 million pumpkins are carved into jack-o’-lanterns and then tossed straight into household bins, leading to a spine-tingling 18,000 tonnes of pumpkin waste ending up in landfill. As these forgotten pumpkins rot away, they release methane, a greenhouse gas that’s much worse than carbon dioxide for global warming. What’s more, while a pumpkin can decompose in compost in just 8 to 12 weeks, if it’s left whole in landfill, it could linger for over 20 years!

So, what can you do to make your Halloween celebrations a little eco-friendlier?

Pumpkin Sustainability Tips:

• Chop It Up After Carving: Breaking up your pumpkin before binning it helps it decompose faster and reduces the amount of methane released. Even better put it in your compost bin to decompose even quicker and use it to fertilise your garden!
• Skip the Carving, Get Crafty: Instead of carving, try decorating your pumpkin with a spooky design using a permanent marker – this way, it’ll last longer and can still be eaten afterwards (make sure you use edible marker pens or wash the pumpkin thoroughly!)
• Feast on Your Pumpkin: Don’t let your pumpkin go to waste! Once you’re done with it, try some tasty recipes to make the most of this versatile veg. Our favourites include: pumpkin soup, pumpkin pasta, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin stew and pumpkin hummus.