J&B Recycling Knowledge

With Halloween coming up soon, we’d though we would share with you our top tips to having a sustainable Halloween! This season is filled with costumes, treats and decorations, however some people do not think about the effects these often-single use items can have on our environment! In the UK alone, an estimated 7 million costumes and 18,000 tons of pumpkin waste are disposed of each year, contributing significantly to plastic and food waste.

Costume waste

Dressing up for Halloween can generate a surprising amount of waste, but there are plenty of ways to reduce your environmental impact while saving money at the same time. For instance, reusing old costumes from previous years helps divert textile waste from landfills and incineration. A study by the environmental group Hubbub found that 83% of Halloween costumes are made from hard to recyclable, oil-based plastics. With an estimated 7 million Halloween costumes thrown away each year in the UK, this is a huge environmental issue.

You can also get creative and make your own costumes using clothes you already have in your wardrobe. This is a fun and easy way to divert old costumes from landfill/incineration and make use of any old clothes you may no longer wear. You can also donate old costumes to charity shops and give them a second life!

Is pumpkin carving wasteful?

For many, carving pumpkins kick starts the spooky season, however they can also cause a nightmare for the environment. Every year, 10 million pumpkins are grown in the UK, and of those 95% are used at Halloween and then disposed of. This creates a staggering 18,000 tons of waste.

Instead of throwing away your pumpkins after carving, use the flesh to make delicious soups or pies - like this easy Pumpkin Pie Recipe from BBC Food. Not only will you reduce food waste, but you’ll also enjoy a tasty treat!

Its not only the waste that is harmful for the environment, when pumpkins are sent to landfill, they emit a very harmful gas called methane, which is a key contributor to climate change. A good alternative to this is composting your old pumpkins, which recycles pumpkins back into soil, used to grow new plants. If composting isn’t an option, many zoos will gladly accept pumpkins as food for their animals.

Decorating sustainably

Decorations are another big part of Halloween, but many are made from hard to recycle plastics and are thrown away after a single use. To reduce waste, opt for reusable or homemade decorations. Items like fabric banners, paper lanterns, and LED lights can be used year after year. You can also get creative by repurposing old materials from around the house to make spooky, one-of-a-kind decorations.

Natural items like pumpkins, gourds, and dried leaves are also excellent eco-friendly choices that can later be composted. These sustainable alternatives help reduce plastic waste and make for a more environmentally conscious celebration.