The danger of balloon releases to marine life

If arranging an event do not include balloon releases as this has a great impact on the marine environment.

Balloon races and releases are visually appealing however many people participating in or involved with arranging these events are aware of the potential harm this can cause to wildlife. The Marine Connection has been contacted by people concerned with this issue on many occasions. Ever mindful that these balloon releases are often part of charitable fundraising events or other celebrations, and not wishing to spoil people's fun or desire to honour the memory of a loved one, we looked into what we could suggest as alternatives to this.

Balloon manufacturers have now become aware of the fact that people are concerned about this issue and as such, most balloon companies now assure customers that their latex balloons are biodegradable. However even if this is the case, it can take up to 4 years for a balloon to biodegrade and in the meantime they can be unintentionally consumed by wildlife such as dolphins, whales, seals or other ocean dwelling creatures.

Balloons drift on air currents and while many released balloons rise up into the atmosphere where they are subjected to pressure and temperature fluctuations resulting in them bursting into small pieces before descending to land or sea, the remainder that do not reach high enough altitudes remain inflated and float for miles before landing on the land or oceans where they can be mistaken for food by many ocean-dwelling creatures. Post mortem results have shown many cases of ingestion of balloons by dolphins and whales; they cannot digest the balloon and it remains lodged in the stomach or intestines meaning that the animal will eventually suffer a slow, painful death from starvation.

Therefore we urge anyone involved in a balloon releasing event to consider more environmentally friendly alternatives. Here are just a few that we are happy to suggest that will not harm or have an impact on dolphins, whales and the environment.

• Plant a tree, shrub or flower garden in memory of loved ones or celebration, this will not only leave a lasting memory but also provide a haven for wildlife.
• Use floating candles and flowers in a fountain or t-light candles as tributes or celebrations.
• Number balloons and sell the numbers (like a lottery draw). You can then get a representative of the charity, celebrity supporter or someone nominated to draw the winning number or burst a balloon at random and the winning number receives a prize (carefully disposing of the balloon afterwards).
• If you are involved in organising an event and your colleagues or committee propose a balloon release, draw their attention to the harm these events can inadvertently cause. Also if you hear of a balloon release taking place in your area, contact the organisers asking them to organise an alternative activity.