Costumes worn once, plastic-wrapped treats, synthetic spiderwebs… the waste from just one night of spooky celebrations might be scarier than any horror movie. But there are plenty of ways to reduce your waste this Halloween while keeping the fun undead! Here’s how to make your Halloween decorations, costumes and trick-or-treating adventures more sustainable. 

Decorations 

As always, the most sustainable item is the one you already own. It’s worth investing in quality decorations that can be brought out year after year, instead of the cheaper plastic items that are only good for a season. And if you feel like a change, try swapping with friends or hitting up your local op shop for pre-loved decorations that won’t cost the earth or break the bank. 

Synthetic spiderwebs should definitely be avoided, as they can entrap birds and other wildlife. Plus, the plastic material is difficult to collect and dispose of, and cannot be recycled. Keep spiderweb decorations for indoors only, and buy or make them out of cotton thread rather than plastic. 

Pumpkin lanterns are a Halloween classic. If you’re carving them out this year, don’t forget to save the insides! They can be roasted or blitzed into soup, and the seeds can be dried out in the oven for a healthy snack. If you don’t have time right now, pop your pumpkin guts in the freezer and save them for another meal. For a reuseable (and much more kid-friendly) lantern alternative, paint a spooky design on the outside of a large jar and put a tea light or small string of fairy lights inside. 

Remember – if you have decorations which light up or make a noise, they have batteries inside. Loose batteries and items with inbuilt batteries should never go in any of your household bins. Drop them off at the West Metro Recycling Centre or, if loose, search B-Cycle for your nearest collection point. 

Costumes 

Most kids’ costumes are only worn once before being consigned to the bin. Borrowing costumes from family and friends is a great way to get more use out of those outfits (and save money). You could even organise a larger costume swap at school, kindy or day care to maximise your impact. Costume rental shops are also a fantastic resource – they have everything you can imagine, and you won’t have to clean or store them afterwards.

For more sustainable costumes, try: 

• Face paint instead of a plastic mask 
• DIY costume elements from recyclable materials you already have around the house, such as cardboard and foil – there are plenty of how-tos online
• Choosing durable pieces that can be mixed and matched for different dress ups throughout the year. A black cape has endless possibilities!

 Trick-or-treating 

First things first: what will you carry your treats home in? A repurposed pillowcase, fabric bag or basket makes a great reusable treat bag that can be brought out year after year. 

If you’re trick-or-treating with trusted friends, family and neighbours, buying loose lollies in bulk and separating them out into smaller paper bags can save a huge amount of plastic packaging. Your local bulk food store has a great range of plastic-free chocolate freckles, TV mix and more, perfect for trick-or-treating. 

Foil-wrapped chocolates are a better alternative than plastic – just don’t forget to save the wrappers and scrunch them up into a ball that’s at least as big as a tennis ball for recycling in your yellow-lidded bin. 

You could also bake and decorate your own spooky cookies or cupcakes for a low-waste treat. 

Quick guide 

Your speedy post-Halloween rundown of what to do with what you have. 

Batteries	Take to the West Metro Recycling Centre or search B-Cycle for your nearest drop-off point.
Batteries that can’t be removed	Take to the West Metro Recycling Centre.
Costumes and accessories	If they’re still in good condition, consider donating them to an op shop or giving them away on your local Buy Nothing Facebook group. Otherwise, save them for the dress up box for future events.
Foil chocolate wrappers	Collect into a ball at least the size of a tennis ball and place in the recycling bin.
Paper/cardboard decorations	Reuse them next year if you can. Otherwise – do the rip test. If the paper tears easily it’s good to go in the recycling bin.
Plastic chocolate and lolly wrappers	Place in your general waste bin.
Pumpkin insides	Blitz into a soup and dry out the seeds. Freeze for later if you don’t have time – otherwise they go in your FOGO bin.
Pumpkin lanterns	Put them in the FOGO bin when you’re finished with them.

With a little planning, your Halloween can be fun, spooky and a little less wasteful. Now that’s not so scary after all!