Time for a complete ban on mass balloon releases?

By Steve Polkinghorne

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. One side will tell you that balloons are great for making kids happy, making the sky look pretty, and increasing sales. The other will tell you that balloons are often mistaken for food by marine creatures, and that the ribbons used to tie them can become entangled in birds' beaks, and around the necks of birds and marine animals.

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. I am not suggesting that balloon lovers hide their booty under the floorboards, or that Earthies should go out and burn down their local Woolies. Oh, too late for that one ...

Latex balloon problems
Well anyway, let's apply a bit of common sense - of course balloons are fun at parties, and can be used to brighten up many a garage forecourt. Releasing thousands of them into the air might provide a quick thrill for humans, but it will be the start of years of potential trouble for the rest of the planet's inhabitants. It's true that latex balloons that rise to an altitude of 5 miles will become brittle and shatter into many pieces, but many don't get that high, and any that fall into rivers and the sea can take over a year to degrade.

Balloon science
Now for the boring science bit. Balloons mostly fall into two categories - latex and metalized plastic. The former are your typical party balloon, the sort of thing that makes red-faced grandpas short of breath. They can also be filled with helium and used in mass balloon releases outdoors. The second type is usually a laminate of nylon and aluminum foil, and is the type of balloon your kids will pester you to buy at carnivals.

Latex balloons
Latex is a natural rubber that is non-toxic and biodegradable - balloon manufacturers gleefully point out that a latex balloon (that makes it to five miles) will shatter and fall to earth in many small pieces, and these will take no longer to decompose than an oak leaf. This may be true, but they omit the part about oak leaves taking up to four years to decompose completely. Metalized balloons are a non-starter when it comes to outdoor release - they won't shatter and they won't biodegrade, so they have no place in the environment.

Mistaken for food by turtles
To a hungry turtle a latex balloon might look like a jellyfish; to a whale it might resemble a squid. Dolphins, turtles, sharks, sea birds, whales and seals are some of the creatures that have been found dead with balloons in their digestive system. Of course, it is rarely possible to state categorically that the balloon caused the death, but intelligent and experienced biologists are prepared to state that they are the most likely cause of many deaths, and the certain cause of others. Even a small fragment of latex can block a digestive tract, and will not decompose quickly enough to allow the animal a chance to feed, so that it eventually starves to death.

Ribbons and other hazards
Many balloons are tied with ribbons, which pose a separate hazard. These can become entangled around beaks, or even around the necks of curious young animals that then face a certain, horrifying death, as they grow larger and the decorative noose tightens around them. The truth is we do not know how many animals suffer and die because of balloons - the very nature of the marine environment makes it impossible to record even a fraction of the casualties.

Mass balloon releases
Environmental groups have been campaigning for years for a ban on mass balloon releases, and in many places legislation has been introduced to do just that. Here in the UK we are still lagging behind many countries, and past and current campaigns have not had much effect. I am currently petitioning the Prime Minister for a total ban on mass balloon releases, and am campaigning through sites such as MySpace to hopefully educate people about the darker side of these innocent looking and brightly coloured childhood playthings.

Please help me by signing my petition (if you are a UK resident) and joining my MySpace campaign. Governments may be slow to act, but people can change things very quickly if they are given the facts and the incentive. Enjoy your balloons at home, responsibly, and dispose of them carefully. If you hear about a proposed mass balloon release, make your concerns known to the local authorities. We all like to have fun, but surely fun is funner when innocent creatures aren't killed as a result?

My petition can be found here:

Your details are visible only to the office of the Prime Minister. I desperately need more signatures before the petition has to come offline in June - the more people sign, the more politicians will take note and, perhaps, act.

My MySpace campaign can be found here:

Steve Polkinghorne