This has boggled my mind for many years, and it only gets worse, especially with the beads. Lots of it gets left on the streets of New Orleans every Mardi Gras, and some of it gets swept into storm drains.
Only one Mardi Gras crew has decided to stop throwing those plastic beads. They could even be toxic for all I know.
Don't know how long they will continue this stupidity, but I'm just glad I don't live there.