If you're among the massive crowd turning out for Sydney's Mardi Gras parade this weekend, you might notice a slight, perhaps less sparkly difference compared with previous years.

Organisers of the parade have announced they're phasing out the use of single-use plastics, including glitter.

Instead, they've been encouraging floats to make use of "fairy lights, fluorescent paints and fabrics, lanterns and other light-reflecting materials".



But those who make and sell glitter for a living argue that the war on their product isn't necessarily fair.

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'Glitter is litter'

Ali Gay runs a business that sells a relatively new form of compostable glitter at festivals.



"We get a lot of people walking up to us and saying 'glitter is litter', and we talk to them and explain it's compostable, that it just degrades completely in water," she said.



"I definitely agree with [the Mardi Gras stance on plastics], but glitter isn't the big problem.



"It might look like there's a lot of it and it does get everywhere, but it is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to single-use plastics."



That's a view shared by Stephen Cotton, a chemical engineer who helped create bioglitter, a near-plastic-free glitter made largely from eucalyptus trees.

"It's certainly not the biggest issue we face in plastic pollution, but the problem with glitter is it draws a lot of attention to itself," Mr Cotton told ABC Radio Sydney.



"It's rinsed down the plug hole, finds its way into the environment ... and is sparkly, bright and shows up very well."

Eco-friendly glitter is not cheap and so makes most sense when using just small amounts. ( ABC Sydney: Harriet Tatham )

Environmentally friendly sparkle



Biodegradable or compostable glitters may be part of the solution, but Ms Gay warned there are a couple of things to note, not least the cost.

"A kilo of regular cosmetic-grade glitter would be between $4 and $7; the compostable glitter starts at $130 a kilo," she said.



"Keep in mind, though, most are only using maybe two grams on their face.



"And it does look like glitter. I swear no-one will be able to tell."



Ironically, that might also be the biggest problem getting environmentally conscious partygoers on board — what's the point in paying a premium for compostable glitter if no-one knows?



"It is hard, but I think the more there's availability of [environmentally friendly] glitter and the more awareness of single-use plastics, not just glitter, then I think that will be the turning point," Ms Gay said.



"It won't come from a knee-jerk reaction against glitter."



Mr Cotton agreed.



"We're not going to save the planet in what we're doing, but we're doing our little bit and we feel that if everybody does their little bit, things will improve."