By Philomena McInaw

It is estimated that 40,000 people attended the the four-day long street carnival in Derry at Halloween. And overall an estimated 100,000 visitors participated in the festivities.

A 2021 Halloween Clothing & Costumes survey by the Fairyland Trust “indicated that 83% of the material in Halloween costumes/clothing was oil-based plastic, with cotton the next largest fraction. 2 In line with global use in textiles, the great majority of the plastic (69%) was polyester.

Based on surveys of waste generation, 7m Halloween costumes are thrown away each year in the UK and 30m people dress up for Halloween. It is estimated that Halloween creates 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste each year in the UK, equivalent to 83 million Coca Cola bottles.

Much of this waste stems from costumes made with synthetic materials like polyester, which are often worn only once before being discarded, ultimately ending up in landfills.

Polyester and similar synthetic fibres take hundreds of years to decompose, contributing to long-term environmental pollution. This throwaway culture around Halloween costumes highlights the urgent need for more sustainable alternatives, such as reusing costumes, choosing biodegradable materials, or creating DIY costumes from upcycled fabrics.

This report brought attention to the hidden environmental impact of seemingly small festivities and emphasizes the need for more sustainable choices, like reusing costumes, renting, or opting for DIY outfits made from eco-friendly or natural materials.

These alternatives could reduce single-use plastic waste, helping to make Halloween celebrations more sustainable for the environment.

It is alleged that up to 60% of Halloween  pumpkins end up in landfill contributing to climate change because pumpkins release methane gas.