National

Sustainability First: Scary Statistics on Halloween Waste

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The spooky season has come to an end. The candies have been devoured, decorations are going back up into attics, and now comes the question.

Published

6 months ago

November 2, 2023

Marlena Leonard

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The spooky season has come to an end. The candies have been devoured, decorations are going back up into attics, and now comes the question.

What on earth do I do with this costume?

For many people, the answer is often: throw it away. But the only thing scarier than the costumes we saw on Halloween night, is the impact Halloween waste from costumes we’ve only worn only once can have on the environment.

A study by Fairyland Trust found that just one UK Halloween season produces over 2,000 tons of plastic waste made up of only Halloween costumes.

The trust says “This is equivalent by weight of waste plastic to 83 million Coca-Cola bottles.”

But of course, that reality doesn’t just happen in the UK. So what can we do to not be part of the problem?

Consider donating your used costume to a charity thrift store.

Keep your costume, and try planning a costume swap with friends and family for next year.

Consider choosing a DIY costume for next Halloween, many of the costumes bought online contribute to fast fashion pollution and are largely made of plastic, only to be worn once.

Halloween may be over, but it’s never to early to start planning for the next one!