Two Florida lawmakers push to ban intentional release of balloons statewide

Birthday parties, weddings, and graduations might look a bit different come July. Two Florida lawmakers are pushing to pass a bill that would ban the intentional release of balloons statewide.

Environmentalists in Southwest Florida are very outspoken about the negative consequences of balloon releases. Although they are often ceremonial events, balloon releases are controversial.

“As far as releasing balloons into the wild for celebration purposes, that’s going to be a problem because it’s basically littering,” said FGCU instructor Chad Evers. “Every balloon that you let go into the air is going to fall down somewhere.”

Evers is an instructor in the Department of Ecology & Environmental Studies at FGCU’s Water School. He’s lived in Southwest Florida for 14 years, and is passionate about environmental education.

“Personally, I think we have a lot of environmental problems simply because people don’t understand that those problems are problems,” Evers said. 

So, why are balloon releases concerning? Evers explained it simply. He said when balloons drift away, they become litter. That litter can be deadly to animals like birds and sea turtles. The bottom line is, every balloon that drifts into the sky, biodegradable or not, eventually comes back down and often ends up in our oceans, lakes, and even animals. 

“If animals do end up swallowing it and they can’t digest it, it ends up either blocking their digestive system or ending up stuck in their digestive system,” Evers said. “So I mean, it’s a huge problem that people just don’t have that connection that when they let that go, it’s going to come back and it’s going to land in the environment somewhere and so, you know, if I’m going to release 300 balloons, would I also be willing to take 300 empty balloons and just dump them in my backyard and let them sit there? Because that’s essentially what you’re doing. You’re just dispersing it out.”

According to current state law, “it is unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to intentionally release, organize the release, or intentionally cause to be released within a 24-hour period 10 or more balloons inflated with a gas that is lighter than air…”

But the new legislation would take away those exceptions. Current law also allows for balloon releases if they are biodegradable. The new legislation removes that option too.

“So with an alternative to balloons, sometimes people try to release those lanterns with a candle,” Evers said. “The argument is that they are biodegradable. But basically, you’ve just taken a candle and you’ve lit it, and you’ve sent it up to burn in the sky somewhere and eventually that’s also going to fall down…and we are in the dry season here in Southwest Florida.”

Republican state rep. Linda Chaney and senator Jason Pizzo are sponsoring the new legislation. If passed, the new law will take effect July 1. You can find a full breakdown of the identical bills using the links provided.

Click here to learn more about House Bill 91: Release of Balloons.

Click here to learn more about Senate Bill 1512: Release of Balloons.

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