Florida’s balloon ban will protect marine life

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Sea turtles, seabirds and children under 7 will be protected under a new Florida law that bans the intentional release of balloons.

The law, signed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis on Monday replaces the existing ban on releasing ten or more balloons in 24 hours. The Legislature passed the bill with bipartisan support in March and the law is praised by environmentalists.

“Balloons are among the deadliest ocean plastics for wildlife and are the deadliest form of plastic debris for seabirds. Florida’s new law will help save marine animals from these preventable deaths,” said Hunter Miller, Florida representative for the Washington-based environmental group Oceana.

The law will exempt children under 7 years of age. Anyone else can be fined for littering by intentionally releasing a single balloon. The new law also eliminates the exemption for biodegradable balloons. DeSantis signed the bill privately and has not made any statements about it.

Analysis of the bill prepared for lawmakers notes that balloon releases are common at weddings, funerals, sporting events, graduations and various celebrations.

After efforts to limit plastic bags and straws, pressure from environmentalists against the launch of balloons gained strength. The Florida Legislature has already prohibited local governments from banning plastic bags. In 2019, DeSantis vetoed a bill that would have temporarily banned local governments from banning plastic straws.

Florida is a large peninsula just 60 miles from the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. Balloons can stay afloat for days – and winds and currents can carry them far from their initial launch point.

Once they wither and fall off, sea turtles mistake them for one of their favorite foods: jellyfish. Birds, manatees, whales and other marine life also eat balloons, which can block the digestive system, leading to starvation.

“Balloon litter in bodies of water affects more than 260 species worldwide and has been identified as one of the five deadliest types of marine litter in terms of the risk it poses to marine wildlife,” the legislative analysis said, adding that animals can also become entangled in balloon strings.