WDSU News: Local organizations are kicking off their Mardi Gras bead recycle initiative.
When the party is over, it may be tempting to put them on the ground, but the French Quarter Management District has a different solution for you.
“If you’ve got that heavy stack of beads around your neck and you’re questioning if you’ve made the right decision, you can take these beads off and dump them in the recycling bin.” Michelle Courseault said.
Courseault is the Executive Director of the French Quarter Management District. They are partnering with Glass Half Full to push an initiative to keep the French Quarter clean and the storm drains clear during the carnival season.
The initiative includes placing recycling bins inside 16 hotels within the French Quarter.
“The tourists come, they catch all the beads and then they go to put them in their suitcase, and it doesn’t work.” Courseault said, “So, to take the burden off of our hotel staff and certainly get the beads off the streets we put these bins in the lobbies.”
2026 Participants include:
- Bienville House
- Courtyard by Marriott – Downtown Near the French Quarter
- Courtyard Marriott Iberville French Quarter
- Hilton Riverside
- Hotel Monteleone
- Hotel Provincial
- Hotel de la Monnaie
- Hyatt Centric French Quarter
- La Galerie Hotel
- New Orleans Marriott at 555 Canal
- Ritz-Carlton
- Sheraton New Orleans
- The Royal Sonesta New Orleans
- The Saint
- The Westin New Orleans
- Wyndham New Orleans – French Quarter
Last year the organization collected 10 thousand pounds of beads, this year they are hoping for more.
Caroline Vanchiere, program manager at Ground Krewe, a local non-profit, says recycling these is necessary to keep our city safe and healthy.
“Not only is this greenhouse gas emissions from materials that are used one time and then thrown off a float, then just left and go out to the landfill.” Vanchiere said, It also causes infrastructure issues here in New Orleans. Clogging storm drains getting left in plants and trees.”
If you’re not in the French Quarter and you have a bunch of beads and throws along the parade route, Ground Krewe has a bunch of recycling stations for you to visit.
Recycling at one of these spots could put you in the running to win a huge reward.
“These are things like restaurant gift cards, a night or two-night hotel stay, courtside tickets, Saints tickets and concert tickets.” Vanchiere said.
The nom-profit, Arc of Greater New Orleans is also collecting more than 160 tons of Mardi Gras throws and beads to recycle.
Parade goers can drop off throws at the following locations:
Year-Round Collection Sites
New Orleans Sanitation Department
2829 Elysian Fields Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70122
Whole Foods
5600 Magazine St.,
New Orleans, LA 70115
*Drop-off available the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. 8am – 1pm
East Bank Jefferson Parish
ArcGNO
925 Labarre Rd.
Metairie, LA 70001
Jefferson Parish Sanitation Department
400 David Dr.
Metairie, LA 70003
West Bank Orleans/Jefferson Parish
ArcGNO Westwego Community Center
333 Sala Ave.
Westwego, LA 70094
Jefferson Parish Sanitation (Westbank)
6440 Lapalco.
Marrero, LA 70072
New Orleans East/St. Bernard Parish
ArcGNO Chalmette Community Center
3700 Jean Lafitte Pkwy.
Chalmette, LA 70043
St. Tammany Parish
ArcGNO Northshore Community Center
2810 8th Street
Mandeville, LA 70471
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