Viva la…Confetti is Still Litter

Confetti is litter outreach

Source: City of Santa Barbara

In partnership with Heal the Ocean, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper, and Downtown Santa Barbara, the City of Santa Barbara would like to remind the community that throwing and leaving confetti, sequins, and glitter on the ground is littering.

The use of confetti at Santa Barbara parades and festivals is growing, in both the number of events where confetti is used and the volume of confetti tossed. While confetti eggs or cascarones have long been a tradition at Santa Barbara’s Old Spanish Days, we are now seeing large bags of confetti being dumped on our sidewalks, streets, and parks. Confetti is harmful to our environment, and difficult and expensive to clean up after parades and festivals.

In addition to paper confetti, the volume of shiny metallic confetti, sequins, and glitter is increasing. These are all made of plastic and are often mistaken for food and consumed by birds and other animals. Confetti can easily wash or blow into our storm drains, creeks, and ocean, where it poses a threat to aquatic life.

While you’re celebrating in Santa Barbara, we encourage you to choose paper confetti and use it sparingly!

  • Storm drains lead to our creeks and ocean untreated.
  • Confetti can be mistaken for food by birds, fish, and other wildlife.
  • Shiny metallic confetti, sequins, and glitter are all made of plastic, which is not biodegradable.
  • Throwing confetti and leaving it behind is littering.

Are you a vendor making cascarones to sell?

Please only use paper confetti (or leaves!), and do not add plastic or foam decorations on the outside of the eggs. You can find timely supplemental information here ahead of the festivities.

Selling Cascarones
La venta cascarones

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