By Claire Labat, Alliance Intern from St. Olaf College ‘26
Balloon releases can be an exciting way to celebrate milestone moments, such as holidays, birthdays and gender reveals. But what seems to be a harmless act is a harsh burden on our environment. After release, the rubber and mylar balloon remains fall back down to earth, eventually washing into our waterways. While this unique source of pollution may not seem as threatening as microplastics and toxins, it is one of the largest threats to our marine systems.
Floating along the water’s surface, these patches of rubber mimic food and pose the risk of entanglement or asphyxiation. Studies have found balloon debris to be the deadliest plastic pollutant ingested by seabirds, causing 32 times more fatalities than hard plastic. But they’re not alone. Of the rubber consumed by sea turtles, 78% is balloon debris. So far, ten states have taken the initiative to restrict balloon releases. Join the Alliance and get your state to take action by signing Ocean Conservancy’s petition to keep balloon litter out of our oceans.