Turns out balloons may not be as much of a no-no as I feared. When I wrote about Flintstone’s Second Birthday and Sustainable Party Tips, I admitted that my major environmental fail at his party was the balloons. My baby – actually, both my kids – LOVE balloons. I think most kids do. Heck, I still do. There is just something fun about batting them around, and even about popping them.
But balloons are not environmentally friendly. Helium balloons that get loose in the atmosphere and suffocate wildlife and pollute fauna and deplete world helium reserves get the most negative press, but even your standard “breathe filled” party balloon can also be a bane to the environment. If not properly disposed of, balloons create more litter and contribute to landfill waste. They also pose a choking hazard to small children and pets (in addition to wildlife).
Many balloons are made out of pure latex, which, as any balloon manufacturer will tell you, is biodegradable. There is actually an “ideal” model put out by balloon companies justifying why balloon releases – into the atmosphere and nature – are A-ok. This plan basically posits that so long as balloons are filled to the correct pressure with helium and have no strings attached to them, they will fly up 5 miles, shatter, and come down in tiny, biodegradable pieces. Which may be perfectly fine. But I know of a heck of a lot of balloons that are not “properly” inflated, or are played with a lot, or otherwise don’t make it to 5 miles to “shatter” into “harmless” pieces. And those balloons still end up polluting, killing wildlife, and posing other threats.
So helium balloons – any balloons that might “escape” (to include, in my opinion, balloons outside), are a no-no. But I don’t think I’ll be giving up balloons completely just yet. After doing a bunch of reading, it seems to me that balloons made of pure latex (as most are) can be safely used indoors and the COMPOSTED. Seriously. I can’t believe I didn’t know you could compost balloons. (and condoms, by the way).
I’m a little on the fence about the dyes they use to color balloons, but I’ve run out of research steam. For now, I’m happy to let my kids play with non-helium filled latex balloons and safely dispose of them in my compost bin. They should take about 6 months to biodegrade.
Now, if you’re not as easily won over as I was. Or if you have other pre-existing balloon prejudices, there are always alternative to be had:
– Beach balls – they are still cheap plastic, and have all the issues that come with cheap plastic, but they are at the very least reusable.
– Pinwheels – again, cheap plastic, unless you can find some quality ones or make your own.
– Ribbons on stick – to dance around with!
– Bubbles
– Craft things – like origami – from old newspapers and magazine pages
– Musical Instruments from recycled materials.
What’s your take on balloons? Environmentally friendly, neutral, or bad? What alternatives to balloons would you propose?
My fiancé and I are thinking about using balloons as decorations at our reception; I’m curious has anyone (the author or other commenters here) successfully composted their latex balloons? Did it truly only take 6 months to decompose?
I think only things made from natural latex are biodegradable, not synthetic latex. I’m not even sure about natural latex, but definitely not synthetic.
Hi Michelle, Natural latex is biodegradable as it is made from a natural product, the sap from the rubber tree. Synthetic Latex or Synthetic rubber on the other hand is not biodegradable, generally because they are based on elastomers made from petro chemicals, very basically they are made using oils. Synthetics are generally used in industrial applications such as tyres, industrial belts, carpets, soles and heels for shoes, chewing gum, coated papers, glue applications etc etc.
As far as I am aware none of the latex (rubber) balloons are made from synthetics, this is the only type that should be released, other types of balloons such as foils/mylars and the new ‘bubble’ types may have some synthetics in them, but they should not be released under any circumstance either.
Good Luck
Jim
Hi Urban Earthworm,
As a ‘Balloon Professional’ I am encountering a lot more negativity about balloons than in the past, mostly from an environmental point of view. My problem is that most people who complain are in my opinion little more than ‘Bandwagon Jumpers’ unlike you they have done no research into the issue and seem incapable of coming to their own decision 🙂 You can probably tell this is a bit of an ‘Issue’ with me too.
I am based in the UK and I keep hearing of all of the Marine life such as Dolphins, Turtles etc that are being killed by balloons from mass balloon releases seemingly on a daily basis. However no one has been able to give me any verifiable data that can be checked. My own research shows that there have been no instances in the last dozen years or so. On the other hand there are many deaths due to propellor strikes, sonic disturbance, etc.
A point that you made that I want to re-iterate is that children and babies can suffocate on balloons and so they should be treated like any other toy with small parts, young children should not be unsupervised with any toy with small parts and latex from burst balloons should be disposed of immeadiatly.
I could go on about balloons and the environment at great length 🙂 but I’m sure your readers don’t want to listen to me ranting away.
Good Luck Jim
Can I use some of the content from your site on mine? I will make sure to link back to it 🙂
Sure! Please let me know what content so I can make sure I have the most up to date info available!
I didn’t know they could be composted, how cool is that! And yea balloons annoy me just because my kids like to keep them forever and I find old withered balloons in their rooms.