Solutions to Reduce and Eliminate Balloon Litter
Changing Behavior
Partners in the Mid-Atlantic are conducting extensive research to better understand who plans balloon release events – and, most importantly, why balloons are selected to celebrate and memoralize in lieu of other actions. The partners have received a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program to focus on this question and to develop a social marketing campaign to “sell” litter-free alternatives to balloon releases.
Person talking to Virginia House Sub-Committee about balloon litter. Credit: Laura Habr.
Policies and Laws
Some bans and restrictions have been enacted concerning balloon releases. In most cases, these bans are being implemented on the local level (e.g., town, city, province, etc.) rather than state or country-wide.
In order to prevent releases, some laws also address the types and manner in which balloons are sold.
Credit: Balloon Council website.
Balloon Industry
The Balloon Council, a group that represents the balloon industry, established Smart Balloon Practices, an educational and awareness campaign.
Until 2018, the Balloon Council stated that using “biodegradable” latex balloons with no attachments for mass releases was safe for the environment. In 2018, The Balloon Council changed its stance on balloon releases.
