Ghoulish but Green – Your Guide to a Sustainable Halloween!

The scary truth about Halloween in Ireland is that it generates a surge in textile, plastic, and food waste, much of which ends up in landfill or incineration. Over 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste are produced during the season, while fast fashion costumes and synthetic decorations contribute to microplastic pollution. Discarded pumpkins sent to landfill emit methane—a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, and with over 110,000 tonnes of textiles wasted annually in Ireland, the environmental impact of this seasonal consumption demands more sustainable choices.

Re-framing Halloween for a more eco-friendly celebration

Halloween is a time for creativity, community and celebration - but it doesn’t have to come with a pile of waste. By reusing costumes, choosing natural decorations, and composting pumpkins and food waste, families can enjoy a fun, festive Halloween that’s lighter on the planet and easier on the pocket. It’s really about brining imagination to life and shunning overconsumption of environmentally harmful materials and products.

Tips for parents and children to celebrate a more sustainable Halloween

Just trying one or two of these things can help you to reduce your environmental impact while making the most of the spooky season. Have a spooky and sustainable Halloween!

1. Frighteningly good DIY costumes from reused materials:

• Reducing, reusing and recycling what you have: Instead of buying new costumes, encourage kids to get creative by making their own eco-friendly costumes and reusing clothes and materials you already have at home. Old clothes, cardboard, fabric scraps, and even paper can be transformed into fun and unique outfits. It’s a great opportunity for kids to express creativity and learn about reusing materials.
• Costume swap: Host a costume swap with your school, friends, or neighbours to reuse old costumes and give them a new life.
• Charity shops: Search out pre-loved costumes at charity shops which actively encourage donations and resale of pre-loved costumes and promotes circular fashion.
• Many costume rental shops: These shops have started popping up across Ireland, allowing people to rent costumes instead of buying them for a one-wear use that contributes to textile waste.

2. Sustainable Decorations with a difference that don’t cost the earth:

Avoid single-use plastic decorations. This year try these sustainable alternatives:

• DIY from nature: Use leaves, twigs, pumpkins, and other natural materials for decorations. Try to use native species, take only what you need, and items that have already fallen on the ground. Compost all items after Halloween. Using biodegradable, natural materials will reduce synthetic waste.
• Recycled decor: Make your own decorations using fabric, tissue paper, cereal boxes, and egg cartons. Share ideas for making bats, ghosts, spiders, or pumpkins from recycled materials.
• Reusable items: Invest in decorations you can use year after year.
• LED lights: Use rechargeable batteries or solar-powered lanterns for energy-efficient lighting.

Pumpkins as Decorations:

Pumpkins are a nutritious source of food, and not just a Halloween decoration. Try to use all of your pumpkin by making soups and pies or roasting the seeds. Compost or place your left-over pumpkins in a food waste bin or home compost them instead of sending them to landfill.

3. Sustainable Halloween Treats:

Halloween sweets often come wrapped in layers of plastic. To reduce waste, try the following:

• Zero-waste challenge: Aim for a zero-waste Halloween.
• Bulk sweets: Buy sweets in bulk and use paper bags to reduce plastic waste.
• Minimise plastic: Choose treats with recyclable or minimal packaging like foil or paper. Instead of plastic buckets or bags, use reusable cloth bags, pillowcases, or decorated baskets for trick-or-treating.
• Support local: Recommend Irish-made treats or homemade goodies.
• Bake don’t buy options: Search for ideas for nutritious snacks that are still festive.
• Recycle right: Recycle your Halloween waste correctly (e.g. sweet wrappers, costume packaging). MyWaste.ie is Ireland’s official guide to managing your waste in the home and workplace. It has lots of helpful information to help you manage your waste.

4. Greener Activities:

• Walk instead of drive: Promote walking trick-or-treat routes to reduce emissions.
• Nature-based fun: Suggest outdoor games or scavenger hunts using natural materials.
• Community clean-up: Invite families to join a post-Halloween litter pick.

Sustainable Halloween Events

As part of Ireland’s Sustainable Halloween campaign, citizens are encouraged to celebrate without bonfires—a message strongly supported by local authorities and fire services. Bonfires often involve illegal waste like tyres, furniture, and plastics, releasing toxic pollutants such as dioxins, which account for over 50% of harmful dioxin emissions in Ireland. They pose serious risks to public safety, damage green spaces, and are frequently used for unlawful waste disposal. Safer, family-friendly events like Longford’s ‘Dead of Night Festival’, part of Longford’s celebration as the Home of Halloween, offers a sustainable alternative. This exciting series of events runs from 12 October to 1 November, with something for all ages—from storytelling and live music to haunted houses, workshops, and cultural celebrations. This includes a Fire & Shadows Procession Finale: A spectacular closing event on 31 October where adults and children can have a night of fun away from the fumes of the bonfires. For more information click here.

Protect Our Pets

Halloween can be a very distressing time for pets due to loud noises. Don’t forget to protect our pets this Halloween and keep them inside, and keep all windows and doors closed. For information click here.