Mardi Gras Recycle Dat!
Recycle Dat! is a collaborative Mardi Gras recycling initiative dedicated to reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills during Carnival season while promoting a cleaner, more sustainable celebration. A partnership between Grounds Krewe, New Orleans Office of Resilience & Sustainability, New Orleans & Company, Glass Half Full, Osprey Initiative, and other coalition members – with sponsorship from Every Can Counts, Coca-Cola, Keurig Dr. Pepper, Entergy New Orleans, the Louisiana Beverage Association, and more – Recycle Dat! combines environmental impact with community engagement.
Since its launch in 2023, Recycle Dat! has diverted over 150,000 lbs of waste material from landfills and expanded in scale to include 8 stations along the parade route. The program also engages the public through Recycling Rewards, Raise the Bar, Recycle World, Hotel Throw Recycling, an Aluminum Can Sweep, and Route Residential Recycling for homes along the parade route.
Now in its fourth year, Recycle Dat! brings together public agencies, local nonprofits, and the hospitality and beverage industries to advance waste diversion and circular economy solutions across the Uptown parade route and beyond. In the 2026 Carnival season alone, the initiative successfully diverted over 61,000 pounds of materials from landfills – including a record amount of used beverage cans: 6,142 pounds of aluminum, which is roughly 197,000 cans! This total also included 1,691 pounds of plastic, which is roughly 76,000 bottles; 34,741 pounds of glass, which is roughly 46,000 bottles, and 18,646 pounds of Mardi Gras beads and throws.
The program operates branded recycling stations along Napoleon and St. Charles Avenues, supplemented by 240 specialized receptacles across 40 blocks, where paradegoers can recycle aluminum cans, glass, and plastic bottles, or donate unwanted throws for reuse by organizations such as ArcGNO and St. Michael Special School. These highly visible, volunteer-staffed hubs help reduce litter and protect New Orleans’ unique environment while enhancing the Mardi Gras experience for locals and visitors alike.
Recycle Dat! Programs
Recycle World
A public recycling headquarters with live displays of the waste sorting process, accumulated recyclables and an aluminum PixelCan art wall installation made of recycled aluminum beverage cans. Parade goers can return bottles, cans and beads and enter win prizes and engage in challenges.
Recycling Rewards
A prize program that incentivizes recycling participation through giveaways from local businesses. Turn in cans, bottles and beads at Recycle Dat! stations along the parade route to enter!
Re-Cyclists Marching Krewe
A festive group collecting cans and bottles along parade routes.
Raise the Bar
A partnership between Recycle Dat!, Glass Half Full, Every Can Counts U.S., and Climate Culture to provide free glass and aluminum recycling during carnival season to bars near parade routes. Diverted aluminum will be recycled at a local scrapyard and glass will be used for coastal restoration in New Orleans.
Hotel Throw Recycling
Partnerships with hotels citywide to collect donated throws from guests to be sorted and reused.
On the Route Recycling
Staffed recycling stations along weekend parade routes that act as a hub for can, bottle, and throw recycling. Volunteer here!
Together, these efforts demonstrate how New Orleans can celebrate its culture while caring for its environment – turning the spirit of Mardi Gras into a model of community-driven sustainability and circular celebration.
Recycle Dat! 2026 By the Numbers:
Plastic Bottles
1,691 lbs
Glass
34,741 lbs
Aluminum Cans
6,142 lbs
(approx. 197,000 cans)
Beads & Throws
18,646 lbs
