Galveston might bust balloon release tradition
City’s proposed ordinance stresses that the plastic objects threaten the environment, especially wild animals and marine life
Galveston residents may soon have to find a new way to celebrate weddings and birthdays or remember loved ones who’ve passed, other than releasing balloons into the sky.
The tradition so often used to mark these occasions could be deflated if the City Council passes an ordinance banning the open release of latex, mylar or other nonbiodegradable or non-photodegradable balloons.
The topic was released at a recent council workshop. Under the proposed ordinance, violators could face up to a $200 fine for a violation, which would be a Class C misdemeanor.
The city of Galveston is on a barrier island that serves as a habitat for several marine and bird species. It is also a breeding ground for endangered sea turtles, including the Kemp’s ridley.
The city emphasized in the draft ordinance that balloons with “lighter-than-air gases” pose a threat to the environment and particularly to wild animals and marine life.
“Discarded balloons can last indefinitely and create an aesthetic blight and hazard to wildlife and the environment,” the ordinance reads.
“The material of balloons that do not completely biodegrade or photodegrade in the environment are often stuck in trees, shrubs, can clog drainage systems, pollute the marine and coastal environment and additionally are often mistaken for food by marine and other wildlife, causing disastrous effects on marine and animal systems,” the measure states.
Turtle Island Restoration Network, a nonprofit organization devoted to the well-being of marine species, led the effort to raise awareness of the harm caused by releasing balloons.
In April 2020, the nonprofit launched a “Balloon Busting Crew” to track the number of reported balloon releases in the state.
In 2018, the crew, which largely consists of interns, documented more than 2,000 balloons released by the general public. It documented 1,179 the next year and 831 in 2020. This year, so far, the group has tallied 380.
Joanie Steinhaus, the gulf program director at the Turtle Island Restoration Network, said the majority of the releases were “in memory of ” deceased loved ones.
“You try to be respectful of it but have info out there to encourage other methods,” she said.
On its website, the organization lists a number of balloon alternatives, including blowing bubbles, planting a tree, waving flags or banners, lighting candles, flying a kite, planting a butterfly garden or playing music.
And balloons aren’t just harmful to marine life, Steinhaus said. They also pose a hazard to helicopters and small planes. They can get tangled in power lines and cause power outages, and they can affect ranchers with cattle, she said.
Steinhaus, who was also instrumental in convincing Galveston Mayor Craig Brown and City Councilmember William Schuster to draft the ordinance, is glad that government officials are discussing the idea and taking it seriously.
“We’re really thrilled that City Council listened,” she said.
“Our next step is to work with other municipalities (to show) that this is a serious form of litter just like cigarette butts,” Steinhaus added. “You can’t go to the beach and not see a balloon, unfortunately. The ultimate goal for us is to take this up the watershed, hopefully up to Dallas and ultimately have a statewide ban on intentional releases.”
Charlotte Cisneros, a community programs manager with the Galveston Bay Foundation, said banning balloon releases is not a new concept.
“Intentionally releasing balloons is littering,” she said.
“A lot of cities and states have done this across the country, and it’s definitely a good step towards ending plastic pollution.”
States that have acted include Maine, Maryland, Florida, Tennessee and California, according to U.S. News and World Report. Rhode Island banned the practice in July.
Cisneros says stemming litter is one of the top issues along Galveston Bay, which is part of a watershed that flows through Dallas.
“Anything that’s thrown on the streets, in a ditch or waterway flows down Galveston Bay,” she said.
“We see all sorts of things. Plastic in general is the No. 1 thing we pick up — bottles, straws, food containers, and we definitely see balloons and streamers all over the place. I wouldn’t say it’s our No. 1, but we get plenty of them.”
In one 100-meter stretch along Pelican Island, the foundation found 1,200 pieces of plastic, the highest it’s seen this year, Cisneros said.
The Galveston City Council will likely discuss the matter further at a future meeting, said spokeswoman Marissa Barnett.