My first post for the year will be an informative one! Since I have started this business I have had people raising their concerns/questions about the impact balloons have on the environment. This made me realise there is not enough information out there on this topic.
For my existing and hopefully future clients purposes and others who are planning events across Melbourne I will share some information below so that they can feel at ease and be aware as to how they can show more care towards the environment.
Latex Balloons – Are They Harmful?
I will start with saying that latex is a biodegradable and naturally occurring material. It is made by rubber trees and coloured with natural pigments. It breaks down in sunlight or water at the rate of an oak tree leave and should never be confused with plastic. At Fairytale Balloons we source balloons through Hayden Agencies and Parties and More from major brands such as Qualatex and Sempertex who are Pro Environment Balloon Alliance (PEBA) members. PEBA is an orgainsation whose mission is to drive environmentally responsible change within the balloon industry.
Foil Balloons
Foil balloons are made from a metalised nylon which unfortunately is not biodegradable, however can be reused or recycled after the event by placing a small straw in the valve. At Fairytale Balloons if our clients have chosen to leave their balloons behind after their event, we ensure to collect the foil balloons and use them in future event. Our clients have come to appreciate this practice and we have had many conversations during bump outs on this topic. If the foil balloons are damaged, they need to be disposed of responsibly.
Helium
Helium is simply used to make balloons lighter than air. When released into the atmosphere it isn’t harmful and in fact it escapes into space. Houston does not have a problem with the escape of helium! Having said that, it is an essential and non-renewable resource which is mostly extracted from natural gas a long way away from Melbourne. If you are concerned about the depletion of helium, we would highly recommend an organic air-filled balloon garland instead.
With all this being said, balloons should be disposed of responsibly and never be intentionally released into the air. They can bring a risk to wildlife being tangled or disrupting powerlines. It is also illegal to release balloons into the atmosphere in Melbourne-Victoria.