Safe Confetti Use in This Year’s Celebrations

Though confetti-filled eggs are inarguably fun, the tiny bits can lead to irreversible consequences in the environment when made of plastic. This year, the City of Santa Barbara is trying to reduce the amount of shiny sequins, glitter, and mylar — all made of plastics — used in celebrations through a public education effort. 

In Santa Barbara, cascarones were once solely used for Old Spanish Days, but have since infiltrated other celebrations, including Solstice and Fourth of July. Though part of the city’s concern stems from the difficulty in cleaning up confetti after celebrations — last year, the litter was still present in the streets months after Fiesta — mylar and other nonbiodegradable confetti have been washing into oceans and creeks as well. This is particularly harmful to wildlife that mistakes the confetti for food and can cause irreparable damage to the environment. Santa Barbara encourages vendors to use only paper confetti and abstain from using any plastic or foam decorations in or on their cascarones. And consumers are encouraged to chose only paper confetti and use it responsibly. 

More information can be found here.