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Balloons the number 1 marine debris risk of mortality for seabirds
March 2019
“A new study has found that balloons are the highest-risk plastic debris item for seabirds — 32 times more likely to kill than ingesting hard plastics. Researchers looked at the cause of death of 1733 seabirds from 51 species and found that one in three of the birds had ingested marine debris.”
To Eat or Not to Eat? Debris Selectivity by Marine Turtles (pdf)
July 2012
“This study highlights the need to address increasing amounts of plastic in the marine environment, and provides evidence for the disproportionate ingestion of balloons by marine turtles.”
5 Small facts about balloon debris
Wageningen University & Research Centre
Dr. JA (Jan Andries) van Franeker
“Around festivities there are often discussions about the harmfulness of debris after balloon releases in the Netherlands. IMARES provides 5 little facts to consider: should we release balloons or maybe keep them on the ground?”
Scientific research into degradability and harm from balloon latex
Wageningen University & Research Centre
Dr. JA (Jan Andries) van Franeker
“Surprisingly little scientific research has been done to investigate the degradability and potential harm from latex balloons in natural environments.”
Degradable balloons are not the solution
Wageningen University & Research Centre
Dr. JA (Jan Andries) van Franeker
“Animals mistake remains from balloons for food, which may cause blockage of stomach and intestines an may lead to starvation. Latex rubber, in spite of its natural origin, does not degrade quickly enough to avoid ingestion by marine wildlife and potential damage to their digestive system.”
Balloons and Wildlife: Please Don’t Release Your Balloons
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
August 2015
“Birds, turtles and other animals commonly mistake balloons for food, which can harm or even kill them.”
Bob the turtle’s rollercoaster rehabilitation
Two Oceans Aquarium
April 2015
“..on 6 January, Bob pooed out a whole pile of plastic. This included pieces of balloons, some still attached to their string and several other large bits of plastic. Turtles often mistake floating plastic for food. Marine debris from discarded plastics is building up in our oceans and poses a significant threat to turtles and other wildlife. Ingested plastic causes bowel obstructions and has caused fatalities in whales, birds and turtles while many other marine animals are at risk.”
Taronga Zoo tracks endangered sea turtles after they ingest plastic
The Sydney Morning Herald
August 2015
“They’re usually totally debilitated when they arrive. They’ve washed up on the beach or are found floating in the water,” said Ms Hall. “We had a turtle come in recently that had four different colours of balloons in its stomach. It had a whole party going on in there,” she said.
Ban balloons to save birds, say scientists
The Canberra Times
May 2015
Dr. Jenn Lavers, a biologist at the Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies, in Hobart, says she finds balloons “in about one in 20 of every seabirds I examine.”
“I believe the days of the balloon release are over and done with,” said Maureen Egan, president of the Balloon Artists and Suppliers Association of Australasia.
Whale Watch Debris Report
Blue Ocean Society (BOS) researchers have been recording debris observed from whale watch boats off the New England coasts for over 8 years. Balloons have become the most common debris over the last 5 years.
Plastic, Balloons, and Other Marine Debris, Oh My!
In 2012, balloons were the most common debris seen while aboard whale watching vessels in Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary from April-October.
Sea Turtle Image Library
SeaTurtle.org
“Kemp’s ridley juvenile & ingested balloon. Balloon fragment in stomach of green sea turtle.”
Farmer wins compensation after Red Nose Day balloon kills cow
The Telegraph
May 2011
“Farming and conservation groups are demanding a ban on mass releases of balloons and Chinese lanterns because of the deadly threat they pose to livestock and other wildlife.”
Green sea turtle near death, passes two latex balloons in rehab
Found on the beach on Shackleford Banks in North Carolina, washed in with the tide, covered in sand and algae and barnacles. Weeks after admissions this little green passed two pieces of balloons, one blue and one red. Had she not been able to pass these pieces she would have died.
Bald Eaglet -Fractured wing; ingested foreign objects
Wildlife Center of Virginia
June 2015
“A necropsy was performed and the foreign bodies were extracted from the eagle’s ventriculus. The items included: two balloons, several pieces of cardboard/paper, an aluminum soda can tab, a thumb tack, plastic particles, plastic wrapper material, and one more unidentifiable item.”
Rescuers Euthanize Osprey Entangled In Balloon String And Found Near Quogue Pond
27 East
August 2016
“An adult osprey found tangled in balloon strings in Quogue was euthanized on Wednesday at the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center.”
Marks and Spencer ban ad balloons after one strangles lamb
Daily Mail Reporter
April 2008
“This newly born lamb nearly died after becoming entangled with a Marks and Spencer promotional balloon. … The farmer, Richard Fulcher, managed to free the lamb and it is now back with its mother, doing well. He said: “If I hadn’t been on site at the time, the lamb would certainly have been strangled to death.”
The Dangers of Balloons
Dr. Greene
June 2008
“Believe it or not, balloons cause more childhood deaths than any other toy. That’s right. Balloons! This shocking fact was established by a study conducted by Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh in conjunction with DuPont Institute, and Inchcape Testing Services Risk Analysis and Management.” See comments for additional incidents involving mylar balloons as well. All balloons can be deadly to children.
Do balloon releases kill marine life?
Wild Shores of Singapore
2011
“Sea turtles and other wildlife have been found starved to death with latex balloons blocking their stomachs”
Helium Balloons May Have Caused 1993 Crash of Plane
Los Angeles Times
1994
“Investigators found pieces of balloons scattered near the crash area, and investigators concluded that the balloons may have been sucked into the plane’s engines. … A witness on horseback heard a popping noise and saw what looked like a flare and some confetti fall away from the plane as it rolled and nose-dived.”
Litter threatens sea turtle survival
Michelle Nick AAP
Sydney Morning Herald
2011
“Balloons, plastic bags, nylon rope and even rubber thongs are providing a deadly diet for Australia’s critically endangered sea turtle population, a new study shows.”
Mass Balloon Release Kills
Wild Shores of Singapore
2009
“However, further studies indicate that balloons floating in seawater deteriorate at a much slower rate, with some balloons retaining their elasticity after twelve months. However long it might take for balloons to degrade, they can certainly stay intact in an animal’s gut long after ingestion, and long enough to cause death by starvation.”
Sowerby’s Beaked Whales and very early Audubon’s Shearwaters off New York
Ocean Wanderers
June 2012
“The most abundant sight throughout the day were party balloons. We must have seen more than 200 of different shapes and sizes.”
Operation Balloon Recovery
Channel Islands
2009
“What happens to all those balloons that escape into the sky? Many of them end up in the ocean. Unfortunately they are a hazard to ocean dwellers.”
Experimental Demonstration of Controlled Photodegradation of Relevant Plastic Compositions under Marine Environmental Conditions
A. Andrady, Research Triangle Institute
1988
“In the case of exposure in air, the balloons become weak and non-rubbery within six months of exposure. In sea water however the balloons retain their elastic nature much longer.”
Balloon images from the Condor Express
Bob Perry
Photos taken of balloon litter during whale and wildlife trips in the Santa Barbara Channel, California.
Balloons and soft plastic kill sea turtles, slowly and painfully
Wild Shores of Singapore
2011
“Balloons, plastic bags, nylon rope, styrofoam are swallowed by sea turtles which mistake these for jellyfish”
What Goes Up Must Come Down
Lance Ferris
Australian Seabird Rescue
“We regularly pick balloons, scattered along the beaches, to avoid them being swallowed by turtles and seabirds.”
A Preliminary Investigation on Some Specific Aspects of Latex Balloon Degradation
A. Foley, Florida Marine Research Institute
1990
“Balloons that burst under the simulated conditions of high altitude in the freeze-dry machine and samples of ‘natural’ balloon debris collected in Florida demonstrate that many if not most of the balloons that burst at a high altitude, although partly or mostly shredded, remain intact.”
Balloons kill marine animals
Patricia Sullivan
Honolulu Environmental Policy Examiner
2010
“Latex balloons float for just 10 hours, but can take a year or more to degrade, long enough to repeatedly wrap around or be ingested by turtles, sea birds and marine mammals. Scientists who work with stranded whales, dolphins, seals and sea turtles have found balloons, parts of balloons and balloon string in the stomachs of many of these dead animals. In 2003, volunteers collected 4,228 mylar and latex balloons just from New Jersey beaches.”
Floating Menace
Outdoor California
Rebecca Barboza
2010
“For years, biologists have documented the negative impacts of latex balloons on marine wildlife. More recently, researchers have seen devastating evidence of what they can do to terrestrial wildlife as well.”
Mylar balloons cause transformer explosion in El Cajon
CBS8
June 12, 2012
“Mylar balloons that got tangled in an overhead power cable in an East County neighborhood caused it to overload, break and fall onto the road Tuesday, setting fire to a row of parked cars and leaving thousands of homes and businesses temporarily without electrical service.”
Up in the Air: The BLM’s Disappearing Helium Program
Charles G. Groat, Ph.D. and Robert Richardson, Ph.D.
Testimony before the Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources
Committee on Natural Resources, U.S. House of Representatives
May 13, 2010
“Our committee concluded that the sell-off has had and will continue to have adverse effects and we developed a series of recommendations to address several outstanding issues with respect to the reserve… If this path continues to be followed, within the next ten to fifteen years the United States will become a net importer of helium whose principal foreign sources of helium will be in the Middle East and Russia.”
Balloon releases pose risk to wildlife, environment
Brian Troutman
The Times and Democrat
2010
“Inflated balloons that make their way back to earth or water pose a risk for wildlife due to their probability of becoming ingested due to attractive color or their ribbons and tassels forming the perfect trap for animals to become entangled.”
Authorities plead for end to mass release of balloons
The Shetland Times
2009
“…an estimated 10,000 spent balloons around the coastline of Shetland and does not take into account balloons drifting in the sea.”
Balloon Trash Outreach
Jennifer Lewis
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
2011
“Eighty-seven what? On a pristine, uninhabited barrier island off the coast of Virginia, eighty-seven is not the number of birds counted running between the surf and sand. It is not the number of feet between the waves and the dunes. Eighty-seven IS the number of balloons found washed up on the beach, out of the ocean.”
The problem with balloons and sky lanterns
Marine Conservation Society
“When balloons and sky lanterns (sometimes known as Chinese lanterns) are released, they don’t just disappear. They float back down to earth where they are the same as any other litter. But balloons and sky lanterns are particularly dangerous pieces of litter. Balloons are mistaken for food by many species of wildlife, especially turtles.”
Balloon Alert
Save the Whales
“Balloons are perceived as a celebration of life: The birth of a child, grand openings, fairs, birthdays, get well wishes, and anniversaries, among others. But for marine animals, balloons may mean death, as do other forms of plastic. Balloons are ingested by whales, dolphins, turtles, seals, fish and water-fowl, who innocently believe they are food such as jellyfish or squid. ONCE YOU KNOW BALLOONS BRING DEATH, YOU CAN ACT.”
How do balloons affect wildlife?
Eileen Andreason
Audubon
“At best, free-flying balloons become litter; at worst, they jeopardize wildlife. Once airborne, they can travel far afield and often end up joining the flotsam riding the world’s oceans. One that was unleashed in a science fair experiment to investigate wind direction was retrieved on an island 1,300 miles from its release site. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration identifies balloons as a commonly reported source of marine debris.”
Balloons kill bayside turtles
Linda Muller
Bayside Bulletin/The Redland Times
2008
“The release of helium balloons is no cause for celebration on North Stradbroke Island. Since Wednesday, hundreds of balloons have been recovered on Flinders Beach – each an uncanny representation of marine jellyfish. Wildlife carer Carolyn Hahn said helium filled balloons eventually shredded and, in the water, resembled the tentacles of a jellyfish.”
Time for a complete ban on mass balloon releases?
Steve Polkinghorne
Wildlife Extra
“Wars are fought over oil, diamonds, water, gold, religion, pride, food, …and balloons! Because for the past few years there has been a war of words, between the multi-million dollar balloon industry and environmentalists. Despite balloonaholics bombarding anybody who will listen with rather suspect evidence to the contrary, the facts suggest that balloons released into the environment really do pose a serious threat to wildlife – and any threat to wildlife today is a threat we could well do without, especially when it comes from something as utterly pointless as a balloon release.”
A salutary lesson in the perils of inflation
Andy Mabbet
BIRDGUIDES
2008
“Evidence has already been found of birds, dolphins, fish, Loggerhead Sea Turtles Caretta caretta, Leatherback Turtles Dermochelys coriacea, and Blue Sharks Prionace glauca suffering or dying, their stomachs blocked as a result of eating latex balloons.”
Why is it bad for the environment to release balloons into the air?
George Young
Earth Talk
2005
“Interestingly, the Balloon Council labels as ‘misinformation’ claims that wildlife can be injured by ingesting balloons, yet duly warns on its website that young children under the age of eight ‘may’ choke or suffocate on uninflated or broken balloons.”
Proceedings of the International Marine Debris Conference on Derelict Fishing Gear and the Ocean Environment
Anthony L. Andrady
Program Manager and Senior Research Scientist, Chemistry and Life Sciences Division
August 6-11, 2000 Hawai’i Convention Center Honolulu, Hawai’i
“In an experiment we carried out in North Carolina we observed that balloons exposed floating in seawater deteriorated much slower than those exposed in air, and even after 12 months of exposure still retained their elasticity.”
Balloons’ Effect On the Environment
Peter C. Hibbard
New York Times
1990
“Natural latex is biodegradable and environmentally safe, but, according to Rubber Technology, it is treated with ammonia and with tetramethyl thiuram disulfide plus zinc oxide as a preservative against bacterial decomposition. Balloons are usually made with a small amount of plasticizer added. They hardly classify as natural after all that. In fact, sewage treatment plant operators report that latex is one of several problem materials that are not affected by the biological treatment system.”
Don’t Let Mylar Balloons Ruin The Party
SafeElectricity.org
Mylar Balloon Safety
“Each year, hundreds of thousands of consumers experience power outages caused by Mylar balloons contacting electrical equipment.”
Falling Balloons Cause Aircraft Crash Scare
WJAC News
May 2014
“Volunteers from the Loretto and Ashville fire departments, county emergency management officials and area residents searched the area. Crews searched by foot and with ATVs, and had assistance from a medical helicopter. The search continued until 4:30 p.m. when the mylar balloons were discovered. “
Boy burned by Chinese lantern in Wrexham
Daily Post UK
November 2010
“..screamed in agony when scalding hot wax poured over his face at a Bonfire Night party..from a lantern set off into the night sky.”
Sky lanterns (Chinese paper lanterns) not environmentally-friendly
BBC News
October 2011
“An owl has been found dead apparently after becoming tangled up in a Chinese lantern at a Gloucestershire farm.”
Chinese sky lantern blamed for Trowbridge house fire
BBC News
July 2011
“I don’t want to feel like a spoilsport, but I don’t know how you can set them off safely given the potential they have to cause fires..”
Red Balloons Entering San Francisco Bay Brings Stiff Response from San Francisco Regional Water Board
California Water Boards
December 2011
“The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Water
Board has fined national marketing company TrashTalkFCM $7,000 for a promotional event that resulted in hundreds of red, latex balloons falling into San Francisco Bay. The company has agreed to a stipulated settlement as a result of the incident.”
Teenager, 16, fined for littering … after letting balloon go at charity event
May 2008
“He has 28 days to pay and if not may face court action. To some people this may sound harsh but we believe that to create a cleaner, safer city we must send out a clear message that this will not be tolerated.”
Man’s Romantic Balloon Gesture a Felony: Florida
Newser.com
February 2013
“Florida Highway Patrol trooper was watching too, and deemed the act an environmental crime.” “..charged with a third-degree felony under the rarely used Florida Air and Water Pollution Control Act.”
Connecticut DEEP Offers Tips for Environmentally Friendly Summer Celebrations
CT.gov
May 2013
“Once in the ocean, the deflated balloons – just like plastic bags and other floating plastic garbage – look like food (mainly jellyfish) to some sea creatures. When marine animals, particularly sea turtles, eat the floating plastic, their digestive systems become blocked and the animals die.”
Mylar balloons cause dangerous & costly power outages
February 2015
“… 300 outages occurred because unsecured metallic balloons floated into PG&E power lines, ultimately affecting electric service to more than 155,000 homes and businesses throughout Northern and Central California.”
Mass Latex Balloons Releases and the Potential Effects On Wildlife
Stephan Irwin
August 2012
Clemson University releases thousands of balloons at every home football game & for many other occasions throughout the year. In a study performed by a student 5,600 tagged balloons were released – only 40 were found. 81% of the balloons retained their mass in large pieces, thus, “potentially posing a threat to wildlife”
Balloon Travels Over 10,500 Miles
March 2013
“A six-year-old Derby schoolboy’s helium balloon, released as one of hundreds by his school, has been found in a tree in Sydney, Australia. Other balloons, tagged with the school address ended up several miles away, or in the Netherlands and Denmark.”
Additional article here.
National Inhalant Prevention Coalition: Stop Encouraging Kids to Huff Helium
March 2012
National Inhalant Prevention Coalition (NIPC) is warning that the practice can be quite harmful — and even deadly.
“Unknowing adults demonstrate and often provide helium to kids at parties, or science teachers use it in classes to demonstrate the effects of a gas on vocal cords. This normalizing of huffing needs to stop, and all of us can play a role in that.”
Mass Balloon Releases & Their Impacts on the Environment
C. Zimmerman
October 2014
An informative 4-minute video about balloon releases.
Explosition de ballons en Manche Nord
Robin des Bois
2007
“Le 31 décembre 2007, sur 2 km de littoral français, Robin des Bois a ramassé 31 fragments de ballons orange, 28 de jaune, 26 de rouge, 17 de violet, 16 de rose, 14 de bleu, 14 de vert, 13 de blanc et 2 de gris, plus 7 fragments de ballons publicitaires et des attelages de plusieurs ballons de divers coloris.”
Valentine’s Day Balloons Knock Out Power To Thousands In South LA
ABC7
February 2016
“Crews with Southern California Edison stated Valentine’s Day balloons caused a power outage in South Los Angeles, leaving more than 5,000 customers without electricity.”
Real Time Wind US Map
HINT.FM
“This map shows you the delicate tracery of wind flowing over the US.”
Plastic And The Great Recycling Swindle
This is a great article explaining why we must all reduce our use of single-use plastics, recycling is not the solution.
