PETERSBURG, Fla —This year’s Halloween is expected to be the biggest since the pandemic began, with spending reaching a record $10.6 billion, exceeding last year’s record of $10.1 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.

Simply put – this means a lot of trash. Findings from a report on Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) reveal food wrappers – like the hundreds of thousands handed out on Halloween – are the among the top goblins captured by ICC volunteers. In 2019 they even topped cigarette butts, which were the top item collected for more than 30 years. Since 1986, ICC volunteers globally have collected more than 26,530,470 food wrappers!

That’s why Ocean Conservancy teamed up with TikTok Star Trash Caulin to show Tampa how to keep Halloween fun, while reducing plastic waste.

“Microplastics can cause the biggest scares, so this Halloween season let’s unmask the problem,” said TikTok Star Trash Caulin.

Today, Ocean Conservancy’s Director of Florida Conservation Jon Paul “J.P.” Brooker and Trash Caulin went “trash or treating,” —picking up plastic litter in St. Petersburg’s Old Northeast neighborhood. During the event, they recorded a TikTok video. Trash Caulin has more than 1.6 million TikTok followers and Ocean Conservancy is hoping the “trash or treating” video will make an impact –perhaps go viral– and inspire people to help keep Halloween clean and less trashy.

There are simple ways we can all make a big difference while enjoying Halloween. Check out Ocean Conservancy’s Guide to a Halloween You and the Ocean Will Love for easy ideas! There are several simple tips like shopping second-hand for Halloween costumes, swapping and reusing costumes with friends, and choosing natural instead of plastic decorations, like carved or painted pumpkins that will make a big difference!

“Halloween presents an opportunity to understand how even the tiniest candy wrapper dropped in our own neighborhoods can directly impact our oceans,” said Jon Paul “J.P.” Brooker, Ocean Conservancy’s Director of Florida Conservation. “We know from nearly 40 years of mobilizing the International Coastal Cleanup that making people aware of the pollution problems facing our ocean is key to changing behaviors when it comes to plastics and trash.”

In fact, plastic pollution can reach the ocean from our own neighborhood storm drains. This is among the findings from Ocean Conservancy’s first-of-its-kind study in Miami to uncover the true pathways of local plastic pollution.

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About Ocean Conservancy 

Ocean Conservancy is working to protect the ocean from today’s greatest global challenges. Together with our partners, we create evidence-based solutions for a healthy ocean and the wildlife and communities that depend on it. For more information, visit  http://www.oceanconservancy.org, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.