Krewe of Freret riders throw cups, glass beads and other more practical throws to parade attendees on Feb. 22, 2025. Mardi Gras has a reputation for making a lot of trash.

Lambert, disgusted, threw the beads in the trash. “We all made light of the situation because nobody wanted to ruin the Mardi Gras vibe,” he said. “But it was a weird situation.” Larson ...

Mardi Gras can make a lot of trash, adding up to millions of pounds each year. Now, some parades in New Orleans are cutting down on their environmental footprint by banning plastic beads.

Mardi Gras Over 2 Million Pounds of Trash? Here’s How to Recycle Mardi Gras Beads The city is asking people to recycle this season, to prevent beads and throws from ending up in landfill.