Nola Reporter

Recycling hub locations along the St. Charles Avenue parade route diverted over two tons of waste from landfills in only two days.

NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans, in partnership with New Orleans & Company, today announced the results of the first weekend of Recycle Dat!, a citywide initiative to make Mardi Gras more sustainable.

During the first major weekend of Mardi Gras parades, volunteers and recycling staff collected 1,828 lbs. of glass; 1,436 lbs. of aluminum cans; and 1,462 lbs. of Mardi Gras throws, diverting over two tons of waste from landfills in only two days.  

These figures are already on track to surpass 2023’s inaugural year of Recycle Dat!  During the 2023 Carnival season, the City recycled 1,475 pounds of aluminum (roughly 50,000 cans), 1,500 pounds of glass and 11,535 pounds of Mardi Gras beads and throws with the help of the Recycle Dat partners. 

Residents can do their part by taking advantage of the following recycling options during Mardi Gras:  

• On Thursday, Feb. 8, REALCYCLE will launch a nighttime pilot pickup program for aluminum cans along the uptown parade route between Napoleon and Jackson avenues
  • Parade goers can give cans to REALCYCLE employees in vests on the route that evening or drop off materials at aluminum can recycling stations on the neutral ground side of the street
• On Saturday, Feb. 10 and Sunday, Feb. 11, Recycle Dat! will operate six stationary “Recycling Hubs” for cans, beads and glass collection between Napoleon Avenue & Chestnut Street and Harmony Circle & St. Charles Avenue during the daytime parades
  • Volunteers will distribute bead collection bags for throws you wish to recycle ahead of the first Uptown day parade on Saturday, Feb. 10 and Sunday, Feb. 11
  • To volunteer, please visit ready.nola.gov/mardi-gras/recycling-2024/
  • A map of all Recycle Dat! recycling locations along the St. Charles parade route is available on the NOLA Ready’s website 
• The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will continue to recycle Mardi Gras beads at the parade parties for Endymion, Bacchus and Orpheus
  • They are partnering with REALCYCLE to do recycling and bead collection, and the beads will be delivered to ARC of Greater New Orleans
• Residents can also drop off clean, dry and unbroken Mardi Gras beads or throws at any New Orleans Public Library location during normal operating hours until Friday, March 1

This initiative is spearheaded by the Office of Resilience and Sustainability (ORS), NOLA Ready, New Orleans & Company, Grounds Krewe, Every Can Counts, Glass Half Full and other community partners, with a total of 25 participating organizations. Fiscal sponsors of this initiative include Greater New Orleans Foundation, Keep Louisiana Beautiful, Entergy, EMR Metal Recycling and Louisiana Beverage Association. 

All empty aluminum beverage cans collected along the Uptown parade route will be driven to the EMR Metal Recycling Mid-City location (2525 Lafitte St.), which will pay market rate for the cans. The revenue generated will be given to three local charities – Pontchartrain Conservancy, Zeus’ Rescues and NOLA Cans 4 Food - with Every Can Counts U.S. doubling the money raised along the route, up to the first $5,000. 

Community members are also encouraged to bring empty beverage cans to the EMR Metal Recycling Mid-City location (2525 Lafitte St.) between Feb. 1-15. Participating residents can either receive payment via personal check or donate the value to one of the three partner charities.   

Residents, visitors and interested volunteers are encouraged to visit ready.nola.gov/mardi-gras/recycling-2024/ for more information on Mardi Gras sustainability, including drop-off sites and krewes that are championing sustainable programs.