“Rest in Peace, Plastic: A Spooktacular Guide to Sustainable Halloween
Halloween is growing fast in the UK — and with the fun comes a serious environmental footprint. Let’s face it: pumpkins, costumes, sweets, decorations… we’re generating more waste than we probably realise.
The spooky stats
Each year in the UK around 22 million pumpkins are discarded after Halloween — amounting to roughly £32 million of food waste. Geographical+1
Around 7 million costumes end up in the bin annually, contributing some 2 000 tonnes of plastic waste. NEN Press+1
About 83% of Halloween costumes in the UK contain non-recyclable oil-based plastics. Waste Managed+1
UK consumer spending on Halloween has surged — some sources estimate nearly £400 million on sweets alone and a total spend in the high hundreds of millions. The Guardian+1
Why it matters
When pumpkins go to landfill they emit methane (a greenhouse gas far worse than CO₂), and cheap single-use costumes and decorations add virgin plastic and textile waste. If we treat Halloween like a one-night splurge of disposables, we’re ignoring the lifetime impact of our choices- creating one hell of a hangover!
How you can celebrate smarter
Costumes: Borrow, swap, buy second-hand or DIY with things you already own. One costume should last more than a night- check out your local mum’s groups, charity shops, pre loved sites and Facebook marketplace.
Pumpkins: Use the flesh and seeds — soup, roast seeds, baking — then compost the shell if possible. Don’t just chuck it in the general bin- Pumpkin seeds are a great supplement- boosting the immune system.
Decorations & treats: Reuse decorations from previous years; choose sweets with minimal or recyclable packaging; skip cheap single-use bits.
Mindful spending: Buy fewer items, higher quality, that last — it’s better for the planet and often for your wallet too.
Final word
Celebration doesn’t need to cost the planet. With just a little planning, you can enjoy the spooky fun of Halloween while keeping waste and environmental harm down. Let’s make this year’s tricks kind to the planet — and the treats sustainable.