As the city of Santa Barbara heads into festival season, authorities are cautioning against throwing confetti, glitter and sequins on the ground, an action they will consider littering.
Confetti is often used at parades and festivals as cascarones, or confetti eggs, which are especially popular during the Old Spanish Days festival.
The number of events where the cascarones are used is growing, as well as the volume of confetti tossed in addition to the eggs.
Bags of confetti are sold, tossed, and dumped on sidewalks, streets and walks during Summer Solstice, 4th of July, Fiesta, and holiday parades.
There are concerns about the shiny metallic confetti, sequins, and glitter made of plastic, which can be mistaken for food by birds and other animals.
It also gets into storm drains, creeks and eventually the ocean, where it poses a threat to aquatic life.
