JACKSON, Wyo. — Halloween means spooky season, but the scariest thing this October might be the generation of waste that the holiday potentially creates.

Judith Enck, a former senior Environmental Protection Agency official under the Barack Obama Administration, previously told The Washington Post that “Halloween should really be called Plasticween.”

According to Duke University, discarded Halloween costumes generate around 2,000 tons of plastic waste each year.

Yale University writes that nearly 85% of Halloween costumes end up in a landfill. Many store-bought costumes come coated in a non-recyclable plastic and create waste that can have a large impact on the environment.

Halloween decorations are also part of the problem; Yale confirms a majority of decorations also end up in a landfill, as they’re often cheaply made from materials like plastic that are not recyclable or biodegradable. Halloween candy inevitably creates excess waste in the form of candy wrappers, and chocolate production has been tied to a host of environmental problems including deforestation.

The Central Wyoming Regional Water System Joint Powers Board also emphasizes that Halloween can generate excessive use of water through activities like baking, filling large tubs for apple bobbing and growing pumpkins, and asks community members to be mindful of water conservation.

Below, find some more suggestions from Yale, Duke and the World Wildlife Fund for making Halloween a little bit more sustainable:

  • Make costumes out of items already found at home.
  • Donate store-bought costumes to local shops or thrift stores.
  • Buy Fair Trade Certified or traceable chocolates or candies, or try to purchase brands that rank higher on the Chocolate Scorecard, which surveys major chocolate companies and ranks them based on criteria such as traceability and transparency, living income, child labor and deforestation and climate.
    • For example, Mars Wrigley scores higher than Nestlé, so purchasing M&M’s, Snickers, Twix or Milky Ways could make a small difference over buying KitKats or Smarties.
  • When having a party, cut down on waste by avoiding disposable cups, plates and cutlery.
  • Buy pumpkins from local farms or farmers markets.
  • Trick or treat by walking around your neighborhood instead of driving to another destination.

This story originally appeared in 2024.

River Stingray is a news reporter with a passion for wildlife, history and local lenses. She holds a Master's degree in environmental archaeology from the University of Cambridge and is also a published poet, dog mom and outdoor enthusiast.