Four Carnival seasons of program data — plus the volunteer years that came before.
171K
1.5M
50+
4
85K
58K
25K
3K
↑ Official program era · four full Carnival seasons '23 → '26 · Source: RecycleDAT internal weigh-in data
Brett Davis in partnership with YLC Recycles and ArcGNO kicks off the first volunteer-run parade recycling effort to capture throws and cans. Rolling a few bins down the street, giving out bags, collecting as much as possible.
The program keeps running every Carnival season with support from Entergy Environmental Initiatives Fund — small, scrappy, all volunteer. Lessons get learned. The case for a citywide program builds.
The City of New Orleans picks up the program. It gets a name — RecycleDAT — a coalition structure, and real funding. First official season: aluminum and glass collected at parade route weekends + EMR public turn-ins.
Bead recovery becomes a real program (13,931 lbs). Plastics piloted. EMR public turn-ins explode to 6,375 lbs of aluminum alone. Convention Center pilot kicks off.
Coca-Cola and Every Can Counts join. Tulane University sustainability signs on. Mardi Bar Wars alone yields 41,431 lbs of glass. Hotel district throw collection scales to 10,704 lbs. 74,500 pounds.
Recycling After Dark, Raise The Bar, NOMTOC + King Arthur sweeps formalized. 18,646 lbs of throws recovered — highest single-year throw total. 61,285 pounds.
This year’s program demonstrated the power of making recycling visible, accessible, and engaging.
Articles, broadcast, and trade press on the program. Want to write about us? hello@recycledat.org
National coverage of the program's bead recovery and the broader environmental footprint of Carnival throws.
Feature on the program, the volunteers, and how aluminum proceeds get redirected to local nonprofits.
Industry coverage of the 2026 Carnival season's aluminum totals and route-by-route breakdown.
Trade-press writeup on the coalition model and parade-day collection methodology.
Local broadcast segment on the volunteer crews and parade-route stations.
Pre-Carnival coverage of station rollout and how to find one along your route.
National wire coverage of the post-parade cleanup effort and the scale of waste left behind on city streets.
International coverage examining sustainability efforts at Carnival, including recycling programs on the parade route.
Feature on the cultural history of Mardi Gras beads and the growing movement to address their environmental impact.