Five frightfully good ways to save waste this Halloween

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are urging residents to enjoy a spooktacular Halloween without letting waste come back to haunt them.

Every year, thousands of pumpkins and costumes end up in the bin after just one night of fright. But with a few simple swaps, we can all help save money, cut down on waste and help protect the planet.

Here are five frightfully good ways to reduce your Halloween waste this year:

1- Feast on your pumpkin

Don’t just carve it! From soups and curries to pies and roasted seeds, there are plenty of devilishly delicious ways to use your pumpkin in the kitchen.

2 – Compost or recycle your pumpkin

If it can’t be eaten, compost it at home, or cut it up and pop it in your food waste bin. You can also leave it whole next to your food bin during the week beginning 3 November and it will be collected on your scheduled collection day Just remember to remove candles or decorations first. 

After it’s collected, your pumpkin (and the rest of your food waste) will be turned into fertiliser which is then sold to local farmers to use on their land.  The gases captured during this process are converted into electricity to power up to 4,800 homes!  You never know, you may even get a visit from our electric food-waste vehicle – in operation for a year now, it’s already travelled over 8,800 miles and is helping to cut tonnes of CO₂, making your food waste collections quieter and greener!

3 – Create your own creepy costume

Skip the brand-new buys. Instead, reuse old clothes or upcycle last year’s outfits into something spine-chillingly new.

4 – Share the scare

Swap costumes with friends and family or donate them so they can be worn again.

5 – Choose reusable decorations

Ditch the single-use plastic and make your own scary creations that can be used year after year.

For plenty of recipe ideas, crafty costume tips and spooky waste-saving ideas, visit
southoxon.gov.uk/Halloween or whitehorsedc.gov.uk/Halloween

Cllr Sam James Lawrie, Cabinet Member for Environment at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “It’s terrifying how much waste is created every Halloween, but it doesn’t have to be that way. By rethinking what we do with pumpkins, costumes and decorations we can all enjoy a greener celebration that’s better for our communities and the planet.”

Cllr Hayleigh Gascoigne, Cabinet Member for Climate Action and Environment at Vale of White Horse District Council, added: “Small changes really do make a big difference. Whether it’s cooking up your pumpkin, swapping costumes or choosing reusable decorations, we can all do our bit to cut down on Halloween waste while still having plenty of fun.”