Halloween is right around the corner! Like any other holiday, waste reduction and diversion should be considered while you plan your festivities. If you're celebrating this spooky season, be sure to know how you can do it sustainably by following a few of our eco-friendly tips below!

Pick Up Candy Wrappers

Keep your neighborhood from looking frightful by picking up stray candy wrappers while trick-or-treating. These plastic wrappers can also harm wildlife and clog water systems, so remember to do your part and keep our communities clean!

Compost Your Pumpkins

Your pumpkin guts and leftover scraps can be composted in a variety of different ways. Pumpkins grow from the dirt, so it's only natural that their nutrients return to the dirt!

Learn how to easily compost your pumpkins at home with our Composting Guide.

Reuse or Donate Costumes

Don't just wear your Halloween costumes once! Reuse them again and again, trade with a friend, DIY your own costume, or shop secondhand for a whole new look. You can also donate costumes you'll no longer wear to give them a second life.

Party Waste-Free

Choose reusable dinnerware such as cups, plates, and cutlery if you plan on hosting a Halloween party! Not only are you helping to keep your household waste at a minimum, but you also won't have to buy more for future parties. Don't forget the reusable food storage!

Sustainable Decorations

Buy decorations that you can use year after year, or upgrade what you have by painting it, adding floral elements, or using it in an unexpected way! They can also be made out of recyclable materials such as paper or cardboard.

Look for Minimal Packaging

Whether serving them at a party or handing them out on Halloween night, look for candies and treats that have minimal or paper packaging. Paper can be recycled, and it can also break down much faster in a landfill than plastic packaging.

Did you know that you don't need to rake or bag your autumn leaves when they fall off the tree? Just like the pumpkins from the previous article, leaves get their nutrients from the dirt - which means it only makes sense that their nutrients are returned to the dirt when they fall! Save time on raking, save money on bags, and keep the nutrients from your leaves from going to waste by exercising one of the following methods:

Mulch Your Leaves

Break your leaves down a bit and spread them around your shrubs, trees, and flowerbeds. You now have free mulch! Using mulch properly moderates soil temperature, prevents erosion, greatly reduces weed problems, and provides nutrients as it decomposes over time.

Mow Your Leaves

This one requires even less work! Mow the leaves straight into the lawn - no collecting necessary. This releases nitrogen and other nutrients as they decompose. Just like grasscycling, this method does NOT cause thatch and is suitable for most lawn types.

The answer is NO!

Candy wrappers are often made with a mix of materials like plastic, paper, and aluminum that cannot be separated at the recycling facility. They're also too small to capture even if they were recyclable! If your wrappers feel like plastic or are shiny inside, they should be placed with your household garbage.

During the following HHW Collection Events, all residents of RRRASOC member communities are welcome to bring household hazardous waste for an opportunity to safely discard their hazardous items and e-waste. Simple Recycling and paper shredding services will also be available*.

October 26, 2024 👕

RRRASOC MRF - Truck Entrance

20875 Mapleridge Ave., Southfield

9:00am - 2:00pm

*The T-shirt icon indicates an HHW Collection Event during which clothing, shoes, accessories, and small household items will be accepted by Simple Recycling.

For more information about HHW events and how to prepare your items, please visit our HHW page.

If you have HHW that you'd like to properly dispose of between collection events, you're in luck! Drop off your HHW without a fee at ERG Environmental Services during the following hours:

Monday - Friday:

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Not sure what to do with stuff?

Visit rrrasoc.org and use the Recycling Directory search bar to type in keywords and get recycling, composting, reuse or disposal instructions.

The searchable, intuitive format of the Recycling Directory provides RRRASOC specific information.

Also Available:

Mobile App

• From your App Store or Google Play, search for "Recycling Authority"

Want more tips, tricks, and updates about recycling? We have a Facebook page where we can reach each other to make recycling easier. You can also reach us via RRRASOC.org and email at education@rrrasoc.org!

RRRASOC - Recycling Authority | 248-208-2270 | rrrasoc.org