Overview
- Willoughby City Council and Inner West Council asked residents to skip synthetic cobwebs, fishing line, balloons and plastic string in favor of straw, pumpkins, sticks, leaves, organic cotton wool and reusable or upcycled decor.
- Bird expert Dr Grainne Cleary said fake webs create sticky traps for small nesting birds in spring and can be taken into nests where chicks become entangled.
- Wildlife rescue group WIRES reported entanglement as a frequent callout and flagged fake webs, fake snow, sports netting and fishing line as risks to birds, possums, gliders, bats and lizards.
- A museum study led by Associate Professor Kathy Townsend found that by 2018 almost 30% of material in Australian bird nests was man‑made, including 25% plastic, indicating a long‑term rise in synthetic debris.
- Council advice carries no new penalties in NSW, with littering still enforceable, and critics including Chris Rath and Mayor Frank Carbone labeled the guidance “fun police” as industry figures estimate about A$450 million in annual Halloween spending.