'Why Won't They Reuse It?' Oscars Face Outrage Over Waste After Viral Video Shows Red Carpet in Dumpster

The 98th Academy Awards, the most anticipated event in the global cinematic calendar, took place on Sunday, 15 March, in a flurry of 'light and elegance.' However, the prestige of the evening has been overshadowed by a wave of public outrage.

While Hollywood's most prominent names graced the iconic red carpet to celebrate the year's finest films, the Academy now finds itself at the centre of a sustainability scandal.

The backlash was ignited by a viral TikTok video showing the famous carpet—thousands of square feet of custom-dyed fabric—discarded in a dumpster just hours after the ceremony concluded. The footage, captured by a TikTok user searching for a rug, showed immense rolls of carpet in the dumpster on Hawthorn.

As the Academy frequently uses its platform to advocate for environmental responsibility, the sight of such significant waste has led critics to ask a blunt and biting question: 'Why won't they simply reuse it?'

Red Carpet in the Dumpster After the Awards Night

TikTok user and Los Angeles-based content creator Paige Thalia (@hellopaigethalia) posted a video of her journey looking for a perfect rug for her apartment when she suddenly realised that the 98th Academy Awards had just concluded.

In her video, she showed many red-carpet moments, which she claims were from the iconic red carpet where prominent people from the film industry walk and pose during the Oscars.

Thalia said in the video: 'Just vacuuming the Oscars red carpet in my living room.' She said 'The Oscars were last night, and I'm still looking for a rug, so let's go see if they'll give me some of the red carpet. The carpet is gone. It's only 8:30. I knew I should have come down at 5:00am,' and it seems like she knew that the Academy would only use the carpet once.

She continued: 'I'm gonna go see if it's around the back of the trash. I was here for an event after the Oscars, like, 10 years ago, and they were taking the carpet down at 5:00am, and so I know that's when they do it.'

Thalia found the rolls of red carpet in the dumpster. She climbed and was able to get a piece. She also told her followers that if they want a piece, they can get one in the dumpster on Hawthorne's. Security also told her that she can just 'jump into it' and get a piece.

Netizens' Reaction to the Rolls of Oscars' Red Carpet

Thalia's video quickly went viral and has now amassed over 3.4 million views, while a subsequent post featuring a series of photos has reached 3.6 million views. Netizens flooded her comments section, with many appearing shocked that it was even possible to retrieve a high-end rug from the Oscars' rubbish.

However, the most notable reaction from social media users is a profound sense of shock that such a prestigious awarding body does not reuse the red carpet for its future events. Many pointed out the irony of the situation, questioning how an industry that so publicly champions environmental causes can justify such significant 'single-use' waste.

One wrote: 'I'm sorry. You're telling me the Oscar's don't have a storage unit or something in order to reuse it??? They buy/make the carpet for ONE NIGHT and then THROW IT AWAY????? I'm shocked!!!'

Another one echoed the same sentiments saying, 'why tf are they not reusing carpet for all these events.'

Another one said, 'i am sorry, THEY THROW AWAY THE RED CARPET AFTER EACH USE? WHAT THE FUCK.'

'Guys don't forget to use paper straws and only drink from reusable mugs!! Let's save the planet so the billionaires can carry on ruining it 🥰🥰🥰,' a netizen sarcastically said.

One shared their experience of working on events in LA, they wrote: 'I used to work special events in LA and they would throw EVERYTHING away after the event, like full on home decor, lights, products, electrical equipment, it was insaneeeeee.'

On X, a netizen wrote: 'Hollywood elites preach "save the planet" while dumping a 10k sq ft custom carpet in a dumpster hours later. Peak virtue signaling: "Reuse everything... except our Oscars trash."'

While one expressed their frustration, even tagging the Academy and the governor: 'I can't get a plastic REUSABLE grocery bag in California but the @TheAcademy throws away the entire Red Carpet from the Oscars without recycling or reusing? @CAgovernor your moronic law bans plastic grocery bags but this kind of waste is ok?'

Meanwhile, fans are applauding Thalia for her sustainability and creativity for reusing the red carpet for her apartment.

The Academy Awards Claim Sustainability

On the Academy Awards' website, the awarding body highlights its sustainability commitment, which reads: 'The Academy is committed to operating as an environmentally responsible organization through sustainable practices throughout our programs, events, buildings, and initiatives.'

In 2023, an article by Zentive Agency said that the Academy has had a 'net zero carbon imprint for the last 10 years, and the Academy looks to expand its sustainability plan with the goal of becoming carbon neutral.'

Furthermore, the Academy's own 2026 sustainability mission statement claims they aim for 'at least 50% of fabrication and packing materials to be reused, recycled, or composted.' However, the viral video suggests the red carpet may have fallen into the other 50%.