Choose Flame-Resistant Halloween Costumes
Organizations like the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommend choosing Halloween costumes made from fire-resistant materials such as nylon or polyester. These materials are less likely to ignite and will extinguish more quickly if they do.
Halloween Makeup and Face Paint
Before using Halloween makeup, check the FDA’s list of approved color additives. This is particularly important for makeup used around the eyes, as not all colors safe for skin are safe for use near the eyes. If the makeup ingredients are approved, they will be listed on FDA’s Summary of Color Additives.
Creepy Decorations
Halloween decorations, especially those involving candles, can pose fire hazards. Using flame retardants in decorations can help prevent fires. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) notes that many home fires start with decorations, and flame retardants provide an extra layer of protection. Lights, plastic skeletons, and haunted house decorations all add to the fun of the holiday, but haphazardly placed decorations can contribute to home fires and burn-related injuries on Halloween.
Light up the Night
Chemistry powers the lights that help make sure trick-or-treaters are visible on dark streets.
- Glow sticks typically contain a hydrogen peroxide solution, a phenyl oxalate ester solution, and a fluorescent dye (sometimes called a fluorophore), which combine to create a shining light.
- Flashlights or headlamps made from shatter-resistant polycarbonate plastic and powered by lithium batteries also can shine a bright path for little candy collectors. Both lithium and lithium-ion batteries charge quickly and have a high power density for more battery life.
- Fluorescent dyes make clothing glow and look bright to help keep trick-or-treaters visible during the daytime and near dusk.
- Reflective clothing, made by dipping fabric threads in millions of microscopic glass beads, is also highly visible; each bead acts like a tiny mirror and reflects light back in every direction. Reflective PVC tape also can quickly and easily enhance a costume’s visibility. For reflective clothing and reflective tape to work properly it needs to be dark and there must be a light source, such as car headlights, to reflect the light. Children can wear both fluorescent and reflective clothing to be more visible.
Inspecting Candies and Treats
Plastic wrapping on food helps to prevent the spread of germs and food-borne illnesses. On Halloween, factory plastic wrapping also helps parents monitor their kids’ candy for food tampering. The FDA advises parents to tell children not to accept or eat any treats that aren’t commercially wrapped. Curious about what’s in your wrapped candy? The primary ingredient in most candies is the chemical sucrose, known more commonly as sugar, which is comprised of 12 atoms of carbon, 22 atoms of hydrogen, and 11 atoms of oxygen.
