EEK-O! Friendly Halloween

Halloween is approaching, which means festive costumes, candy, and pumpkins. But Halloween can be frightening for the environment. Halloween closely rivals Christmas in the U.S. when it comes to time and money spent on decorations and waste. Per Investopedia, Americans spent around $10.6 billion on Halloween in 2022, with the average person spending around $100 on decorations, candy, and a costume. As Halloween participation increases, so does waste from costumes, decorations, pumpkins, and candy wrappers, creating a nightmarish impact on our environment.

Here are some tips on making your Halloween more “eek-o friendly” for the planet. 

Costumes

A 2019 study by The Hubbub Foundation, a UK environmental organization, discovered that 83% of Halloween costumes are made from non-recyclable oil-based plastics. This amounts to approximately 2,000 tons of plastic waste, most of which ends up in a landfill. In addition, some costume makeup and paints may contain a small amount of lead, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, nickel, or mercury, which can cause skin issues such as contact dermatitis.

Eek-o friendly option: Halloween costumes don’t have to be disposable! Consider re-imagining an old costume into something new, or create a new homemade costume out of clothes, accessories, or other items you already own. No need to buy a new one, get creative! You can also share or swap costumes with friends or family or donate to a thrift store. Try avoiding costumes that require makeup, but if you do use makeup, check out this Halloween makeup guide for recipes made with natural food coloring and fruit or vegetable-based dyes.

Pumpkins

Millions of pounds of pumpkins are disposed of after a single night of fun. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 1 billion pounds of pumpkins were produced by the top six pumpkin-producing states in 2022. Some of this yield is for pie-filling, but most of these pumpkins end up decomposing in landfills after Halloween and Thanksgiving, creating methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Around 60% of consumers who buy pumpkins to carve don’t even eat the seeds or flesh. The energy, water, and other resources that are used to produce these pumpkins are wasted and have a negative environmental impact.

Eek-o friendly option:You can roast the seeds and eat them and use the pumpkin pulp to make bread, cake, cookies or pie. Pumpkin flesh can also be used for skin exfoliation and beauty masks. Instead of throwing your pumpkin in the trash, cut it up and place in your home compost bin or in your organics waste bin for Athens Services to collect and dispose in a commercial compost facility, turning your used pumpkin into a nutrient-rich natural fertilizer.

Candy

Americans will buy approximately 600 million pounds of Halloween candy, most of which is individually wrapped in non-recyclable plastic. Much of this candy will be discarded and disposed in a landfill, plastic and all, where it will take many years to decompose.

Eek-o friendly option: Try and buy candy and treats with minimal packaging, or candy that is produced locally or handmade. If you have unwanted leftover candy, bring it to the office and share with co-workers. You can also donate it, freeze it, or reuse it for other occasions, like making Christmas cookies with peanut butter cups or a chocolate kiss on top. Some local dentists collect and/or buy back candy and send it to military troops.

Decorations

Decorating for Halloween has increased dramatically in recent years, with American consumers spending billions on exterior and interior décor for the home. This decor is usually made of plastic or non-recyclable material. Between Halloween and the New Year, Americans usually throw away 25% more waste, taking up more space in landfills and contributing to pollution. 

Eek-o friendly option: Reuse what you have! White sheets, pillows, and a broomstick can make the perfect ghost! Use toilet paper and paper towel carton rolls to create bats, witch hats, and more! Cut out cardboard to create fake headstones. All you have to do is get a bit crafty.  

Halloween Food and Parties

Many people throw festive parties complete with Halloween-inspired food, disposable dinnerware, and table decorations, generating even more waste, which is often non-recyclable. 

Eek-o friendly option: Halloween-inspired food doesn’t have to look like a jack-o-lantern or a skeleton to be festive! Make pumpkin cake or candy apples to bring some Halloween fun to your food. You could also carve out different shapes, make sugar cookies in the shape of ghosts, pumpkins, or witch hats.Re-use plastic trick-or-treat pumpkins for décor, and remember to recycle cans and bottles, and use reusable plates and utensils. If you’re hosting a large gathering, use cups, plates, napkins, and cutlery made from recycled or sustainable materials, or serve finger foods that don’t require a plate.

You can still trick-or-treat and be festive this Halloween while being mindful of the environment at the same time. Have a safe and spooky Halloween! To find out more about what goes in your organics cart, visit CanIRecycleMy.com.