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In Florida, the bill removes the release of a specific number of balloons in a given period of time, as well as exemptions for biodegradable or photodegradable balloons.
The US state of Florida has banned the intentional release of balloons as part of an effort to protect wildlife such as turtles, dolphins and birds from the danger of eating or becoming trapped in fallen balloons.
Under current Florida law, there were exemptions that allowed the launch of fewer than 10 balloons in a 24-hour period and balloons considered biodegradable or photodegradable (which degrade with exposure to light) that did not have any strings, ribbons or other accessories. The new law prohibits the intentional release of any balloons outdoors, making it a littering infraction punishable by fines of up to 150 dollars – 50 dollars of which will go to the Solid Waste Management Trust Fund for its grant program.
Bill HB321 passed with overwhelming support in the state House of Representatives and Senate in March. It is now awaiting the approval of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to pass into law. Once signed, the bill should come into force on July 1st.
The states of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Tennessee and Virginia have also imposed restrictions on outdoor balloon launches as part of the same effort.
Children aged six and under are exempt from the law and balloons launched on behalf of a government agency for scientific or meteorological purposes will also be permitted, as will balloons launched indoors and hot air balloons recovered after launch.
“What goes up must come down, and when it comes to balloons, that can have deadly consequences for marine life,” said Jon Paul Brooker, director of Florida Conservation at the Ocean Conservancy, in a statement. “The ingestion of a single piece of balloon has the potential to kill a seabird, which shows why even one intentionally launched balloon is one too many.”
Balloons, especially helium ones that can fly long distances, are responsible for the mutilation and death of wild animals. Many animals mistake balloons for food, but can’t digest them. Its ingestion can block the animals’ digestive tracts or simply prevent them from feeling hungry, leading them to starve to death.
Sea turtles are especially vulnerable, as they sometimes mistake the balloons for jellyfish, according to the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The ropes tied to the balloons can also wrap around the birds, suffocating them or trapping them until they starve to death.
A study carried out by scientists from the Ocean Conservancy concluded that around one in three seabirds that consumed just a single piece of balloon would die from ingesting this debris.
Although they praised the legislators’ decision, environmental organizations said that further work is needed to combat plastic pollution by limiting its production.
“These victories are particularly significant in Florida, which has been paralyzed for years, failing to address plastic pollution at the source at the state level.” wrote Emma Haydocy, Florida policy manager at the Surfrider Foundation. “While the existing preemption has been the status quo for more than a decade, this year’s actions to ban balloon launches and the total halt of an attempt to expand and consolidate plastic preemption is a leap in the right direction.”
She might have chosen to study Meteorology and Oceanography, but ultimately pursued Communication. And that's fine because if they don't get their weather predictions right, she wouldn't be the one to change that. She started by looking for sustainable ideas and projects for the university, and since then, she has never stopped (who stops, really?). She loves to watch tv shows, but she watches few because she is demanding. You don't need much to convince her to embrace new, "greener" habits and challenges.
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