Have you ever thought about what happens to the balloons released during big ceremonies or events? Well, they end up trashing the oceans, nature, and beaches, and they kill sea turtles, dolphins, birds, and other marine life. They found that nearly one in three seabirds that consumed even a single balloon died from balloon ingestion. According to a study by International Coastal Cleanup, balloons are the highest-risk debris item—32 times more likely to kill seabirds than hard plastic. In the last 40 years, volunteers from the Ocean Conservancy have picked up more than 1.8 million balloons littering coastlines worldwide. This is a devastating problem that is quite unknown.
This is why Florida has passed a bill prohibiting the release of balloons. The law will go into effect in July and will help reduce microplastic pollution!
“Balloons are one of the most common forms of beach debris in Florida’s coastal counties,” said Jon Paul Brooker, director of Florida Conservation at Ocean Conservancy. “We thank the bill’s sponsors for helping to prevent and protect Florida’s sensitive marine ecosystems from this unnecessary form of plastic pollution.”
Image by Clean Ocean Action
Read more:
