Woke eco-mad activists demand balloon ban as new law could make them illegal
Balloons can cause problems for local wildlife
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A group of legislators in a heavily-populated US state have unveiled plans to ban “harmful” balloons.
Florida’s House of Representatives, which is controlled by the Republican Party, is looking to outlaw the release of balloons.
Perpetrators could face fines of up to $150 if they intentionally release a balloon.
The current legislation makes it illegal to release more than 10 balloons within a 24-hour time frame.
Sunny balloons with sun sky, South Florida.
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Balloons would be classified as litter under the legislation put forward by Representative Linda Chaney.
The Southern Pinellas County Representative said: “Balloons don’t go to heaven.
“There’s no good reason to release a balloon, and there’s a lot of reasons not to release a balloon. They’re harmful.”
A previous attempt to pass legislation after an initial version died in its first committee stopped last year.
However, alterations include penalties and removing a loophole regarding biodegradable balloons.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:St Petersburg Senator Nick DiCeglie, also a Republican, is sponsoring the legislation in the Sunshine State’s upper chamber.
Environmental advocates who support the measure say a balloon ban would ignite conversations about changing local views on the issue and also protect Florida’s wildlife.
Hunter Miller, the field campaigns manager for Oceana, an ocean conservation nonprofit, said: “I’ve talked to offshore charter fishermen that are constantly scooping balloons out of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.
“And I’ve even talked to duck hunters who take folks out to ranches in the middle of our state that are pulling balloons out of our environment.”
He added: “To me, this is a commonsense bill that says we shouldn’t be intentionally littering.”
Balloons have reportedly had a significantly detrimental impact on local wildlife.
Chex, a wild juvenile green sea turtle, was found floating helplessly near Redington Pier in March 2017
COURTESY OF CLEARWATER MARINE AQUARIUM
The International Coastal Cleanup recorded over 104,150 balloons found around the world in 2019.
Almost half of the balloons were found in the US.
Separate research revealed animals have been harmed by the estimated 33 billion pounds of plastic, including balloons, entering Earth’s oceans each year.
Chex, a wild juvenile green sea turtle, was found floating helplessly near Redington Pier in March 2017.
Researchers at Clearwater Marine Aquarium later concluded that the turtle was almost killed after mistaking a balloon and ribbon for food.
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