Balloon Launches Banned Due to Pollution & Wildlife Threat
Colorful balloons soaring skyward have become common sights at memorials, sporting events and other celebrations of life or death. But if a growing number of environmentalists have their way, the trend will be grounded and go the way of plastic straws and other polluters of the environment.
“Balloons don’t present nearly as big a pollution problem as plastics, which are estimated to make up 85 percent of the world’s marine debris: Items like beverage bottles, bags, cutlery, plates, straws and balloon sticks litter beaches, seas and waterways far and wide,” Jorge L. Ortiz notes in USA Today.
But balloon launches are becoming a sore subject for environmentalists. In fact, five states – California, Connecticut, Florida, Tennessee and Virginia – forbid mass balloon launches, while several others are mulling a limit on the number of balloons that can be sent skyward at a single time.
“They’re one piece of the puzzle,’’ Emma Tonge, communications and outreach specialist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, says. “They are a serious threat to wildlife simply because they are colorful and bright, so wildlife might mistake them for food, and the strings can wrap around their bodies and make it difficult for them to swim or breathe.’’
Clemson University has tackled the problem head-on and has discontinued its tradition of releasing 10,000 orange balloons when the football team takes to the field.
Some balloon fans consider the criticism a lot of hot air.
Dan Flynn, chairman of the Balloon Council, stresses that the percentage of balloons launched into the wild is minuscule when compared to how many balloons are sold. He stresses that research has found no evidence of latex balloons harming marine life.
Yet, the Balloon Council is launching a campaign to educate customers on the proper way to handle balloons.
“Our message to our retailers, to our users, is, ‘Don’t let go,’’’ Flynn said. “We recognize that, even though the product is biodegradable, some people are going to consider releasing a balloon to be littering. And while balloon releases can be very beautiful events, if you’re offending a lot of people by it, it’s not the thing to do.’’
Yes, balloons do biodegrade. However, it may take up to four years for that to happen.
The balloon business should remain aloft for some time because there’s a greater urgency to address the global plastics crisis.