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—The new city ordinance affects all public marinas, parks and beaches —
While glitter and plastic decorations may be eye-catching at a party, they are harmful to marine life and pollute waterways. That’s why the Miami Beach City Commission voted to extend the ban on party balloons to include plastic and metallic decorations at city parks, public marinas, marine facilities and along city beaches.
“The balloon and smoking restrictions have been effective in protecting our beaches and waterways, but we need to do even more to safeguard our environment,” said Miami Beach Commissioner Alex Fernandez, who sponsored the measure. “Once plastic decorations and glitter are scattered into our sand and water, they are nearly impossible to clean up and end up ingested by wildlife. By prohibiting these materials, we ensure our celebrations remain joyful while also protecting the beauty of our shoreline.
The new ordinance is also consistent with state law, which prohibits pollution that is harmful to people, wildlife and property. Items such as glitter, tinsel, plastic, metalized confetti, sequins, synthetic flower petals and mylar streamers break down into microplastics that are consumed by wildlife and nearly impossible to remove from beaches, parks and waterways.
Environmentally friendly alternatives to plastic and metallic decorations include paper garlands, banners, streamers, flowers, reusable decorations and bubble-blowing solution.
“This ordinance is a win for our ecosystems and a reflection of our values as stewards of the coast,” added Miami Beach Commissioner David Suarez. “Plastic and metallic decorations may seem festive, but they fragment into microplastics that poison marine life and pollute our waters.”
Violations will be enforced by civil fines up to $5,000. An educational written warning will be provided to any person or entity found to be using plastic or metallic decorations at any public marina, marine facility, public park or beach, unless they’ve had a previous warning within the preceding 12 months in which case they will receive an actual violation. The first offense by a person or entity within a 12-month period will carry a $250 civil fine. Fines will increase for repeated violations within the prior 12 months.
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