WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN

Words and photos by Nina Large |

If you have cut plastic bags out of your life to protect the environment, great! Still, did you know that balloons are just as bad?

Photo: Lizzie Coombes

Balloons are a part of everyone’s lives; whether to decorate a party, pop for a gender reveal or release during a memorial, they are used all the time. However, the last thought that springs to mind when blowing up a balloon is ‘how will this affect the environment?’

The truth is balloons are one of the most damaging forms of man-made pollution. If disposed of properly they end up in landfill sites where they remain forever; unless they are blown away with the wind and end up as a seagull’s dinner, or in the big oak tree of a local park. Regular balloons are made of rubber, latex or mylar. Rubber balloons are the typical standard-round balloons you find in supermarkets. On the other hand, mylar balloons are the bigger foil balloons you often find at parties that take the shape of a number or have a design printed onto them – these balloons only work when filled with helium and deflate after a limited time.

HOW BALLOONS HARM THE ENVIRONMENT

Both rubber and mylar balloons do not decompose and once disposed of will remain in the environment forever. This not only causes unsightly litter but is harmful to animals. Sea life in particular are threatened by balloons, with one in three sea turtles found to have eaten plastic during a study conducted by the University of Queensland. Sea turtles are thought to confuse floating balloons with jellyfish (their prey), along with birds eating floating balloons thinking they are food. Balloons can get stuck in an animal’s throat and can cause them to choke, starving them of oxygen. If an animal manages to swallow the balloon; once ingested it mixes with stomach acid and forms a chewing-gum like paste that can seriously harm, and even kill, the animal.

DID YOU KNOW THERE ARE ECO FRIENDLY BALLOONS?

Over the years, balloon companies have developed more environmentally safe balloons that are biodegradable. Biodegradable balloons will decompose naturally over time so that they are not a permanent threat to wildlife. Qualatex is one of the world's biggest biodegradable balloon companies which sell their product worldwide. Qualatex biodegradable balloons can be bought online and shipped globally or can be found in independently run local balloon and party stores.

Biodegradable balloons are made from natural latex extract. The latex is extracted from rubber tree’s in a way that does not harm the tree – keeping the environment safe. This type of latex is 100% biodegradable - but only breaks down at the same rate as an oak leaf. This could take up to 6 years to fully decompose. Although this does make the balloons biodegradable, they still pose a threat to wildlife if left to decompose out in nature.

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO TO STOP BALLOONS HARMING THE ENVIORMENT?

As well as buying biodegradable balloons in favour of mylar or rubber balloons to help the environment, you can also help by making an active choice not to release balloons into the air. Balloon releases are a popular way of celebrating or memorialising however, what comes up must come down. Even if biodegradable balloons are released, they still pose a threat to wildlife for months, if not years, before they fully decompose.

Movements such as ‘Balloons Blow’ combat balloon releases and provide environmentally safe alternatives to balloon releases such as planting flowers or lighting candles. Through their website you are also able to report planned balloon releases to deter them from happening and save local wildlife. This has proved helpful across the United states and the UK and has stopped a number of balloon releases happening, potentially saving hundreds of animal's lives.

Biodegradable balloons aren’t all that bad though. Standard biodegradable balloons are circular in shape and come in a variety of colours and sizes. They are durable and can be blown up with helium. Companies such as Qualatex manufacture ‘twistable’ balloons; these are more flexible and can be twisted into shapes for children’s parties or entertainment. Even though biodegradable balloons still pose a threat to animals, if you dispose of them properly, they are much safer and eco-friendlier than regular rubber or mylar balloons.

TRY BEFORE YOU BUY

In the rush of planning a party and buying the decorations it can be easy to buy the first, or cheapest, balloons you see. Don’t fall into this trap. Ask at your local store if they have biodegradable balloons instead of regular rubber balloons to do your par in helping the environment. If they do not stock them close to home, order them online in advance where you can have an even bigger choice of colours and sizes.

After visiting a number of local party stores an estimated price comparison was made. Both regular and biodegradable balloons can be bought in packs, however most stores sell biodegradable balloons individually as it is more efficient for businesses to bulk buy products rather than buy individual packs. A pack of 10 regular balloons cost approximately £1 from a local store, and the same online. Biodegradable balloons are sold for approximately 20p for a single balloon or can be bought in packs of 10 online for approximately £2.

CAN YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE?

In an experiment students were given two balloons. One rubber and one biodegradable – the students were not told which balloon was which. In the video they reveal that they could tell the difference between the two balloons as the biodegradable balloon was more difficult to blow up. However, they revealed for the price difference they would now choose to buy biodegradable balloons rather than regular balloons now they are more aware of the product.