What is the scariest thing this Halloween?

From light-up Halloween costumes to decorative lights and battery-powered accessories, many seasonal items contain electrical or battery components that can be overlooked when it comes to recycling.

Research carried out by Coyne Research for ERP Ireland earlier this year highlights the issue:

• 36% of Irish adults own electric candles or decorative lights.
• 7% own battery-operated Halloween costumes.
• 3% reported throwing battery-operated Halloween costumes in the bin in the past 12 months, while another 3% reported recycling them.

These findings highlight an important challenge: helping consumers recognise that even small, seasonal items can become electrical and battery waste and should be recycled correctly.

Beyond Halloween costumes and decorations, improper disposal of batteries and electricals in general waste bins can pose serious fire risks when batteries are damaged during waste collection and processing.

This Halloween, the message is simple: Never bin batteries or electricals.