So, what do I do with all these Gasparilla beads?

TAMPA, Fla. — It’s the morning after Gasparilla and you find yourself still weighed down with all those beads.

So what do you do with all of them?

As it turns out, they can reused, recycled and repurposed. 

But there is important information for you to know before you dispose of them.

Keep Tampa’s waterways bead-free, and remember that throwing beads or any other items in the water is prohibited according to Florida Statute 403.413. 

Beads and other non-biodegradable items are harmful to the environment and pose serious threats to marine wildlife. They take a thousand years to break down into smaller pieces called microplastics, which never decompose.

Beads can be reused year after year keeping them out of the waste stream and more importantly, out of the bay. Cleaned and sanitized beads are packaged and sold back to parade crews for other City events.  

Also, the Florida Aquarium is once again partnering with the City of Tampa on the Bead-Free Bay initiative. The effort turns a fun tradition into a meaningful way to protect the environment while supporting conservation and community programs.