Firstpost
  • Home
  • Video Shows
    Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
  • World
    US News
  • Explainers
  • News
    India Opinion Cricket Tech Entertainment Sports Health Photostories
  • Asia Cup 2025
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
Trending:
  • PM Modi in Manipur
  • Charlie Kirk killer
  • Sushila Karki
  • IND vs PAK
  • India-US ties
  • New human organ
  • Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale Movie Review
fp-logo
Why has a Californian city banned balloons? No, it has nothing to do with spying
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter
Apple Incorporated Modi ji Justin Trudeau Trending

Sections

  • Home
  • Live TV
  • Videos
  • Shows
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Health
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • Web Stories
  • Business
  • Impact Shorts

Shows

  • Vantage
  • Firstpost America
  • Firstpost Africa
  • First Sports
  • Fast and Factual
  • Between The Lines
  • Flashback
  • Live TV

Events

  • Raisina Dialogue
  • Independence Day
  • Champions Trophy
  • Delhi Elections 2025
  • Budget 2025
  • US Elections 2024
  • Firstpost Defence Summit
  • Home
  • Explainers
  • Why has a Californian city banned balloons? No, it has nothing to do with spying

Why has a Californian city banned balloons? No, it has nothing to do with spying

Vibhuti Sanchala • February 24, 2023, 15:23:07 IST
Whatsapp Facebook Twitter

Laguna Beach is banning the sale and public use of balloons to curtail the risk of devastating wildfires and eliminate a major source of trash floating near the community’s scenic shores

Advertisement
Subscribe Join Us
Add as a preferred source on Google
Prefer
Firstpost
On
Google
Why has a Californian city banned balloons? No, it has nothing to do with spying

Balloons may be used for celebratory purposes, but what if they come at a cost to the planet? Laguna Beach – the hilly seaside California city known for stunning ocean views and rolling bluffs, is banning the sale and public use of balloons to curtail the risk of devastating wildfires and eliminate a major source of trash floating near the community’s scenic shores, reported Associated Press. The move is part of a rising trend in which numerous cities, including Maryland, Virginia, and Hawaii, have imposed similar bans, and where New York and Florida are considering doing the same. According to environmental experts, measures like banning balloons could spread widely as people become more aware of the harmful effects that the small festive item can have on the ecosystem, reported The Guardian. Let’s take a closer look at how balloons can harm the environment. Also read: The Way of Water: The wonderful world that lives under the deep, blue seas Laguna Beach bans balloons The Laguna Beach City Council voted on 21 February to prohibit the sale, distribution, or usage of balloons on public land or during official city events, according to The Los Angeles Times. The new regulation states that balloons are also prohibited from being released into the air and may only be disposed of in areas where they will be covered by a lid, making them less likely to blow away and end up as litter. [caption id=“attachment_12202412” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Coastal cities are at the forefront of passing laws that are even tighter than Laguna Beach’s ban on balloons. Reuters[/caption] The restriction will apply to all balloon varieties, whether they are inflated or not, including those made of synthetic or compostable materials, reported AP. As per the report, the ban will come into effect in 2024, so local individuals and businesses who love balloons will have time to switch to another party décor. Also read: How traces of microplastics were found in breast milk Balloons are bad for the environment Balloons put the environment and wildlife at constant risk. They are typically constructed of plastic, and when they are released into the air, they eventually fall back to earth, frequently ending up as pollution on the ground, on beaches, or in the water. The Guardian cited Kara Wiggin, a doctoral researcher at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography who studies microplastics in the marine , as saying that balloons are a “double-whammy for the environment: first there’s the latex itself, which can be eaten by marine mammals and sea turtles. When ingested, latex balloons are 32 times more likely to kill seabirds than hard plastic, making them the deadliest type of marine debris for seabirds.” Lara O’Brien, a geospatial analyst at Noaa’s Office for Coastal Management, told the outlet, “This is because latex balloons are made from a soft, malleable material that can easily conform to a bird’s stomach cavity or digestive tract causing obstruction, starvation, and death.” Although some latex balloons’ producers claim that they are biodegradable, O’Brien says there are no safe latex balloons to release since they have plasticisers added that slow down the biodegradation process and can take decades or longer to decompose. Additionally, the string on the balloon also causes greater harm as they are often found inside the bellies of birds. “Balloon debris can tangle wildlife or be ingested by animals that mistake it for food, and more than 3,000 pieces of balloon litter were picked up on ocean beaches by volunteers in Virginia over a five-year period,” according to the NOAA Office of Response and Restoration. [caption id=“attachment_12202402” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Although there are few balloons on beaches than plastic bags, they are particularly harmful and people are also less careful with them. Reuters[/caption] The AP report says that in California, fire officials have long warned against foil balloons that can tangle with power lines, causing a power outage and potential fire hazard. Southern California Edison, one of the state’s major utilities, reported more than 1,000 foil balloon-related power outages in 2017, affecting more than 1 million customers, according to a state legislative analysis. According to Anja Brandon, associate director of US plastics policy at the non-profit environmental group Ocean Conservancy, coastal cities are at the forefront of passing laws that are even tighter than Laguna Beach’s ban on balloons. It’s because they are experiencing the environmental effects first-hand and also paying for it. She told The Guardian, “Many of these cities use taxpayers’ dollars to pay for beach cleanup, especially where tourism is important.” **Also read: Why tobacco companies in Spain are being forced to pay for cleaning up cigarette butts** Balloons in comparison to plastics According to Wiggin, everything takes longer in the sea because it mixes with the plastic soup that floats across the oceans. Even if something is labelled as biodegradable, it could not be marine biodegradable because a lot of things that can degrade in soil can’t degrade at all in the ocean . Although there are few balloons on beaches than plastic bags, they are particularly harmful and people are also less careful with them. Wiggin explained to The Guardian, “People actively release balloons but they don’t actively toss plastic bags into the ocean. So that’s a good low-hanging fruit, especially in Laguna Beach, where the parks are along the water. It’s a great easy answer to manage with legislation.” With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.

Tags
Environment California Balloons marine life ocean the US single use plastics balloons ban harmful effects latex balloons
End of Article
Latest News
Find us on YouTube
Subscribe
End of Article

Impact Shorts

Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

Ghaziabad woman dead, pilgrims attacked in bus… How Nepal’s Gen-Z protests turned into a living hell for Indian tourists

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resigned following violent protests in Nepal. An Indian woman from Ghaziabad died trying to escape a hotel fire set by protesters. Indian tourists faced attacks and disruptions, with some stranded at the Nepal-China border during the unrest.

More Impact Shorts

Top Stories

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe

Top Shows

Vantage Firstpost America Firstpost Africa First Sports
Latest News About Firstpost
Most Searched Categories
  • Web Stories
  • World
  • India
  • Explainers
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Cricket
  • Tech/Auto
  • Entertainment
  • IPL 2025
NETWORK18 SITES
  • News18
  • Money Control
  • CNBC TV18
  • Forbes India
  • Advertise with us
  • Sitemap
Firstpost Logo

is on YouTube

Subscribe Now

Copyright @ 2024. Firstpost - All Rights Reserved

About Us Contact Us Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms Of Use
Home Video Shorts Live TV