As the 2024 Mardi Gras season winds down today, the city of New Orleans has released some data from the 2023 celebration in which two things stand out.
First of all, Recycle Dat! is the perfect name for a recycling initiative in the Crescent City. Secondly, Mardi Gras generates a lot of waste. Last year, the city recycled 11,535 pounds of Mardi Gras beads and throws; 1,475 pounds of aluminum, or about 50,000 cans; and 1,500 pounds of glass.
The city and New Orleans & Co. said during the first weekend of Mardi Gras 2024, which began Jan. 6, volunteers and recycling staff diverted 2 tons of waste from landfills in just two days, including 1,462 pounds of beads and other throws from floats.
To surpass its 2023 efforts, the Recycle Dat program has special collection sites for aluminum cans, six stationary "Recycling Hubs" for cans, beads and glass, and workers wearing special vests roaming through the crowds to collect items for recycling.
Volunteers also will distribute bead collection bags and residents will be able to drop off beads for recycling at all New Orleans public library branches through March 1.