HALLOWEEN WASTE: SHOULD LOCAL AUTHORITIES BE SCARED?
Halloween is renowned for its spooky costumes, tasty treats, and scary decorations, but is it also becoming synonymous with waste?
From carved pumpkins to throwaway costumes and novelty decorations, a variety of materials enter local waste streams after Halloween. This year, we’re offering guidance to local authorities on how to reduce Halloween’s environmental impact – without taking the fun out of it.
THE SCOOP ON PUMPKIN WASTE
Pumpkins are a universal symbol of Halloween, but what happens to the many pumpkins used as decorations in the days and weeks after the celebrations?
According to a 2024 report from Hubbub, a frightening 15.8 million pumpkins were discarded around Halloween. An estimated 18,000 tonnes of pumpkins end up in landfills each Halloween. That’s nearly every pumpkin bought, with two-thirds of households discarding at least one each year.
With seasonal waste volumes rising, many local authorities, such as Cotswold Council, Hampshire County Council, and Powys County Council, have urged residents to be mindful of pumpkin waste.
The good news? There are many ways to repurpose leftover pumpkins, including turning them into tasty treats like pumpkin pie or soup. Composting leftovers or replanting seeds can also help close the loop and reduce landfill impact.
Alfred H Knight supports local authorities with a comprehensive suite of sampling and analytical services. Our experts help councils build accurate profiles of their waste streams, enabling them to track behavioural trends, identify material changes, and make informed improvements to their collection and handling processes.
REMOVING THE MASK FROM COSTUME WASTE
Every Halloween, roughly 7 million costumes are binned in the UK. This is the equivalent of about 2,000 tonnes of single-use plastic. In fact, some 83% of these costumes are crafted from non-recyclable oil-based plastics.
Single-use plastics pose ongoing challenges to councils, polluting public spaces and adding pressure to meet national and regional targets for landfill reduction.
Local authorities can encourage sustainable costume choices by promoting reuse, rental, or DIY alternatives in awareness campaigns. Old costumes can also be donated to charity or sold via second-hand platforms.
Alfred H Knight helps local authorities build effective recycling campaigns based on robust evidence. Our expert research and analysis support public engagement while helping waste teams minimise operational impacts further down the line. Discover how we supported South Ayrshire Council in achieving clear, concise reporting on the composition of their domestic waste streams — read the full case study here.
DEALING WITH THE IMPLICATIONS OF EERIE ELECTRONICS
From remote-controlled spiders to spooky lighting and eerie soundtracks, electronic items are becoming more common in modern Halloween celebrations. These devices fall under WEEE (Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment), a growing waste stream generating over 61.3 million tonnes globally each year.
E-waste poses unique challenges due to hazardous components and strict recycling requirements. To manage these responsibly, local authorities need accurate insights into how much WEEE is present in their collections.
Through composition Analysis, authorities and waste managers can assess the quantity of e-waste, while chemical analysis identifies the trace metal content.
NEED SUPPORT WITH YOUR HALLOWEEN WASTE?
Whether you’re a Local Authority Waste Officer monitoring food and packaging waste, or a waste management company dealing with a post-Halloween spike in plastics and electronics, Alfred H Knight is here to help.
We work with councils and major waste operators across the UK to provide detailed composition analysis and waste profiling. Our insights help clients understand the true makeup and value of their waste streams and make informed improvements to their operations.