Rubicon has launched its annual Trick or Trash campaign, a program designed to help reduce the waste that accumulates every year around Halloween.
As part of the campaign, the company provides recycling boxes to schools and small businesses, which can be filled with discarded candy wrappers and other packaging and returned once full to be disposed of in a way that avoids landfilling.
According to industry data, $2.4 billion will be spent on Halloween candy in 2020, and Americans purchase nearly 600 million pounds of candy every year for the holiday. In 2019, Trick or Trash saw more than 470 schools in 49 states participate in the program, and in the process diverted an estimated 4,000 pounds of wrappers and packaging from landfills and oceans.
"Last year's campaign was a huge success and we are looking to expand its reach and impact in 2020," said Nate Morris, Founder and CEO of Rubicon. "Helping the next generation understand the challenges associated with waste reduction and recycling is a priority for us, and for our partners. Trick or Trash™ is our way of teaching younger people about the critical importance of recycling to the future of our planet, and we have a lot of fun while doing so."
This year's campaign also features an educational component that is customized for different age groups. Lesson plans, fact sheets, and lunch box reminders can be downloaded from the Trick or Trash website. These materials were designed for both in-person and distance learning, in recognition of limited school attendance in some parts of the country due to COVID-19.
In 2020, Rubicon will be assisted in raising the awareness and educational scope of Trick or Trash by a new program partner, the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).
"Educating and inspiring the next generation of environmental and wildlife champions is central to our work and mission at the National Wildlife Federation. We're proud to partner with Rubicon on the Trick or Trash campaign to show millions of Americans how small steps, like reducing waste and recycling, can help recover wildlife populations and restore natural resources," said Collin O'Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. "By bringing together students, teachers, and business owners to reduce waste from contaminating our lands and waters, we will both ensure healthier communities for people and save habitat for imperiled wildlife."
