El Presidente Calls for Mylar Ban During Fiesta to Protect the Environment

The festive cascarones also known as colored confetti filled eggs are sold and cracked wildly during Old Spanish Days in Santa Barbara. It’s part of the event’s tradition. There’s now a call to keep mylar out of the eggs or any baggies filled with confetti this year.

Mylar is a polyester or plastic sheet, and for the cascarones, it’s shredded into tiny bits. The shiny colors are attractive but they are dangerous in other ways.

Environmentalists say if it gets into storm drains or creeks, and eventually makes it to the ocean, the mylar does not break down and can be harmful to marine species.

El Presidente JC Gordon agrees. He is asking everyone making confetti eggs to keep the mylar out of the shells or baggies for sale throughout the Fiesta venues. “It will not degrade,” said Gordon. “We have to be aware of mylar. Don’t buy cascarones if they are using mylar.”

To those making the eggs and hoping to sell hundreds of them during Old Spanish Days August 3-7, Gordon says, “Don’t use mylar.”

John Palminteri will have a full report tonight on NewsChannel 3. Check back for additional content.