Balloons as litter: a problem we can solve


A Royal Tern entangled in a balloon ribbon. Photo by Fr
an Baer.

 

PRESS RELEASE (2021) Revised Law will Reduce Balloon Litter In Virginia: The revised law, sponsored by Delegate Nancy Guy (D-Virginia Beach), takes effect on July 1, 2021 and will “prohibit the intentional releasing, discarding, or causing to be released any balloon outdoors."

PRESS RELEASE (2018): Balloon Litter is Number One Debris Item on Virginia’s RemoteBeaches : New Reports from Virginia Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Program Tackle Balloon Litter in Virginia


 

CVW REPORT. Balloons and Plastic Ribbons: Deadly Litter on Virginia's Remote Beaches

Latex balloons, foil balloons and plastic ribbons are deadly forms of litter, and they are a top source of debris found on Virginia’s remote beaches according to this new report by Clean Virginia Waterways of Longwood University. Litter was surveyed on Virginia’s barrier islands, Fisherman Island National Wildlife Refuge, Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge, and other beaches between 2013 and 2020 revealing that balloon-related litter items are often the #1 most frequently found type of debris.

Research cited in the report was done in conjunction with behavior research and a social marketing campaign in Virginia to understand and reduce the intentional releases of balloons during memorial and celebratory events. The campaign was created by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, Clean Virginia Waterways, NOAA Coastal Management, and NOAA Marine Debris Program. This campaign has inspired an expanded campaign effort in the Mid-Atlantic also referenced in the report.

January 2021. Free download.

 

Balloon litter in the news!

On August 15, 2018, AP published an article that mentioned our collaborative research -- how state and federal scientists and many nonprofit organizations have come together to research the impacts of balloon litter...and come up with ways people can celebrate without creating litter.

Click here for the AP story! This article has run in newspapers across the USA, and was also featured on many websites and TV news programs.

The AP article refers to the 2017 report "Balloon Release Research in Virginia & Reducing Balloon Debris through Community-Based Social Marketing" that summarizes 3 years of research on WHO plans balloon releases, WHY they do it, and ALTERNATIVES that are litter-free. This was a report to the NOAA Marine Debris Program from the VA Coastal Zone Management Program and Clean Virginia Waterways.

This research project brought together scientists from state and federal agencies as well as several nonprofit organizations. Together, they researched balloon-related litter in our coastal environments. Major support for this research came from NOAA, the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program, Clean Virginia Waterways of Longwood University and many local and state partners.

See the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program web site, or the Clean Virginia Waterways Publication Page for these reports...and more!

 

Click to download the report: "Balloon Release Research in Virginia & Reducing Balloon Debris through Community-Based Social Marketing" by
Virginia Witmer (VA CZM Program), Katie Register (CVW) and
Laura McKay (VA CZM Program).

 

Balloon Litter on Virginia's Remote Beaches -- now available!

Clean Virginia Waterways of Longwood University and the VA Coastal Zone Management Program are proud to release this report that covers five years of research on a very harmful type of marine debris: balloon litter.

More than 11,400 balloons, balloon pieces and attachments were found on Virginia’s most remote beaches by Clean VA Waterways' researchers as part of a five-year study of balloon litter in coastal environments of Virginia. Balloon litter was the #1 most frequently found type of marine debris on these beaches.

This report is a companion to the 2017 report: "Balloon Release Research in Virginia & Reducing Balloon Debris through Community-Based Social Marketing"

 

MEDIA: To request an interview with the co-authors, please send an email to registerkm@longwood.edu

 

 

Cover for the report Balloon Litter on Remote Virginia Beaches

Balloon Litter on Virginia's Remote Beaches. August 2018.

by
Christina Trapani, Kathy O'Hara and Katie Register


 

Is there such a thing as an "environmentally friendly" balloon release?

No. 100% of released balloons return to the earth (or the ocean) as litter.

Who is working to decrease this form of water pollution? Scientists, researchers and educators from government agencies (federal, state and local levels), universities, and nonprofit environmental conservation groups are working to help people see that all released balloons become litter. There are many great alternatives to balloon releases.

"We don't want to say don't use them at all. We're saying just don't release them," says Laura McKay of the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program.

 
 

Why do we work to stop this form of pollution?

What goes up must come down! Balloons return to the land and sea where they can be mistaken for prey and eaten by animals. Balloons are hazards when they enter the aquatic environment because they can look a great deal like jellyfish—a major source of food for many animals. Sea turtles, dolphins, whales, fish, and seabirds have been reported with balloons in their stomachs. In 1985, an infant sperm whale was found dead of starvation as a result of ingestion of an inflated Mylar balloon which had lodged in its intestines.

The ribbons on balloons are a major entanglement threat to birds and other animals on land and on the sea. According to this article, balloon litter poses one of the greatest risks to marine animals in terms of ingestion and entanglement.

Joyful Send-Off: A Campaign to Stop the Mass Release of Balloons at Weddings

Many partners have united to stop the mass release of balloons. Joyful Send-off offers great alternatives to balloon releases.  

The Joyful Send-off campaign was launched in August 2017.  Before launching the campaign,researchers spoke with and listened to brides about what a wedding send-off ceremony means to them.  The campaign encourages send-off activities that provide memorable, joyful, picture-perfect, and litter-free alternatives to balloon releases.  Campaign partners hope that brides and grooms will learn that all released balloons become litter. They hope that people will not organize or participate in balloon releases in the years to come. Joyful Send-off encourages the use of balloons for decoration -- but its message is "NEVER let them go!"

Alternatives to balloon releases at weddings...

   

Ribbon wands made in YOUR wedding colors.

Walk through a curtain of bubbles!

Have a musical send-off with bells, drums, & music!

 

Glowsticks are spectacular for evening send-offs

 

 
See JoyfulSendoff.org for more picture-perfect and litter-free ideas.  

 

Alternatives to balloon releases at memorial events and other celebrations...

We can celebrate with balloons! Just don't let them go!

Help us collect information about balloons as litter!

Clean Virginia Waterways of Longwood University is partnering with the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Research Center in a study to better understand the sources, impacts and solutions to balloons as litter. You can help us collect data.

Learn More about this ground-breaking study, or click here if you are ready to enter data about balloons you have found.

 

Learn more about the impacts of balloon litter...and the solutions!

Learn about the Virginia Balloon Litter Research Study (being conducted by Clean Virginia Waterways and the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center)

Learn about laws regarding balloon releases.

 

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Our Work
Marine Debris (also known as aquatic debris or litter)

Aquatic litter and debris are any manufactured or processed solid waste that enters the aquatic environment from any source. In short, it is our misplaced waste and trash. It is a highly pervasive and visible form of pollution that has harmful impacts on wildlife and human health.

Aquatic ecosystems—streams, rivers, wetlands, and estuaries—are under considerable pressure from human activities, including incorrect disposal of trash. While the world's oceans are vast, they do not have an infinite ability to safely absorb our wastes. Preserving and restoring the quality of freshwater and marine environments requires that we understand how much trash we create, what we do with that trash, and how we can prevent it from entering our waterways.

Impacts on Aquatic Habitat
Habitat destruction or harm is caused when submerged debris (for example, a piece of plastic sheeting) covers seagrass beds, or smothers bottom-dwelling species. Some debris can also cause physical damage.

Impacts on Water Quality
Debris can also affect the water quality by adding chemicals to the water. Construction waste illegally dumped in a stream can include buckets that once held paints, solvents, and other chemicals. Cigarette butts and some other littered items contain toxic chemicals that leach into the water.

 

Learn more about marine debris and how we can prevent it!


Litter Prevention

Clean Virginia Waterways, together with Boat U.S. Foundation, created this sign that reminds boaters and anglers to "Bring it Back." The signs are laminated for outdoor use. They measure 8" x 8" and have English on one side, and Spanish on the other.

If you know of a marina or boat dock in Virginia that could use a sign, please contact CVW at cleanva@longwood.edu or call 434-395-2602.

Free while supplies last.

About Litter and Debris:

Litter Prevention Page

Cigarette Butt Litter—A Special Problem

Article about Aquatic Litter and Debris (written by CVW for school teachers and others)

Impacts of aquatic debris

Litter and Debris in our Waterways - Impacts, Sources and Solutions Page

What Volunteers Found in Virginia's Waterways--Data from past International Coastal Cleanups

How Data from the ICC are used

The International Coastal Cleanup in Virginia

Solutions

 

Teacher Professional Development

Course for Middle School Teachers: Summer of 2013
SOLstice: Summer of Learning – Science Teachers Investigating the Chesapeake Environment. This unique and exciting Chesapeake Bay Academy will bring together university faculty, practicing middle-school teachers, and pre-service middle school science teachers to work collaboratively as “teacher-researchers.” Taught by Longwood University faculty in conjunction with Clean Virginia Waterways, Longwood University's Hull Springs Farm and other partners.

Clean Virginia Waterways' other spring and summer workshops for teachers are now being planned. Please send us an email cleanva@longwood.edu if you are interested in being notified!

Virginia's Water ResourcesA tool for Teachers curriculum packet
Virginia-specific! This book is full of information and activities for teachers to support interdisciplinary and problem-based teaching about watersheds, water quality, stewardship, and management issues. It supports the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement's goal to "provide a meaningful Bay or stream outdoor experience for every school student in the watershed before graduation from high school."

Virginia's Water Resources—A Tool for Teachers was written by Jeremy M. Lloyd, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Science Education, Longwood University, and Kathleen M. Register, Executive Director of Clean Virginia Waterways. It was developed through a grant from the Virginia Environmental Endowment. Click here for the Table of Contents and PDF files you can print.

World Water Monitoring DayVirginia-specific guide for educators
The World Water Monitoring Day is an international education and outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world by engaging citizens to conduct basic monitoring of their local water bodies. Participants sample local water bodies for a core set of water quality parameters including temperature, acidity (pH), clarity (turbidity) and dissolved oxygen (DO). Results are shared with participating communities around the globe through the WWMD website: http://www.worldwatermonitoringday.org/

Clean Virginia Waterways worked with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and the Virginia Water Monitoring Council to create this Virginia-specific guide for educators thanks to a grant from Altria. This on-line guide will help you plan a safe and educational World Water Monitoring Day event on your school grounds, or in a nearby park.

More resources for educators, including how to handle animals in your classroom.

 


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Rain Barrels & Harvesting Rain Water

Clean Virginia Waterways is a leader in water conservation through the use of rain barrels. More than 160 nonprofit organizations and local governments have been trained by CVW to put on Rain Barrel Workshops in their communities. Tens of thousands rain barrels are deployed across Virginia thanks to CVW and its partners.

Conserve water, reduce runoff & save a bit of money
Drought or no drought, we should all conserve water. Virginia's groundwater and fresh water supplies are limited. As more people are using groundwater, we need to use it responsibly. Rainwater is usually free of dissolved minerals and great for your indoor plants, garden and lawn, washing your car, and your birdbaths.

If your roof's area is 1,200 square feet (30 x 40 feet), then 1 inch of rain equals more than 700 gallons! Harvest this rainwater which otherwise would be lost to runoff. To harvest even more rainwater, connect several barrels in a series and have 100s of gallons of water capacity.

Runoff can cause erosion, plus carry fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals into streams where they are very damaging. Rain barrels help you manage peak storm runoff. If you get your water from the town, why pay to water your gardens when you can collect hundreds of gallons at no cost? Also, if you depend on electricity to run your well pump, water in rain barrels is handy in power outages.

Rain Barrel Workshops
Every spring, CVW works with partners across the state in offering rain barrel workshops. Workshops cover water conservation, how to prevent polluted runoff, the benefits of rain barrels, how to install and maintain a rain barrel, and how to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. Send an email to cleanva@longwood.edu to learn about upcoming workshops. Please put "Rain Barrel Workshop" in the subject line.

 

Would your organization or park like to co-sponsor a Rain Barrel Workshop with CVW? Call CVW at 434-395-2602 to learn more about workshops and supplies for workshops (barrels, faucet kits, etc.).

How to make a rain barrel from a food-grade barrel: Directions here

Virginia Waterways Cleanup
Part of the International Coastal Cleanup
September 1 through October 31 annually

Sites for the 2014 Virginia Waterways Cleanups (September and October) will soon be registering volunteers! It is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

1. Find a cleanup site near you. (2014 cleanup sites will be posted later this summer)

2. Contact the Site Captain to register and get details on where to meet.

3. Show up, cleanup & fill out a data card! Bring some friends & family members too! Your actions = cleaner water!

This annual cleanup of trash and litter in our rivers and on our beaches is part of the International Coastal Cleanup and is the largest event held by Clean Virginia Waterways.

Thousands of volunteers gather along the shorelines of Virginia’s rivers, lakes, bays, and beaches in September and October to cleanup litter and debris, and recycle found items.  They also complete Data Cards, supplied by Ocean Conservancy, to collect valuable information about the amounts and types of litter and debris. Please participate in this statewide and international effort dedicated to cleaning the world’s waterways.

If you would like to be a LEADER of a cleanup, please signup to be a Site Captain or call Clean Virginia Waterways at 434-395-2602, or send an email to cleanva@longwood.edu


Cigarette butts as litter

Clean Virginia Waterways was a pioneer in researching cigarette butt litter -- the most common type of litter in Virginia, in the U.S.A. and in the world according to data collected by International Coastal Cleanup Volunteers.

Learn all about cigarette butt litter, and the simple steps that we can take to reduce this form of litter.

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Balloons as litter: a problem we can solve

Balloons become litter when released into the air. Guess you can say there is a "down side" to balloons.

Help us collect information about balloons as litter!

Citizen scientists are being asked to help collect data about balloons found in Virginia between April 22, 2012 and April 22, 2014. This "Earth Day to Earth Day" study is co-sponsored by Clean Virginia Waterways and the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center. Learn More about this ground-breaking study, or click here if you are ready to enter data about balloons you have found.

What goes up must come down! Balloons return to the land and sea where they can be mistaken for prey and eaten by animals. Balloons are hazards when they enter the aquatic environment because they can look a great deal like jellyfish—a major source of food for many animals. Sea turtles, dolphins, whales, fish, and seabirds have been reported with balloons in their stomachs. In 1985, an infant sperm whale was found dead of starvation as a result of ingestion of an inflated Mylar balloon which had lodged in its intestines. Ribbons and strings tied to balloons can lead to entanglement.

Instead of balloon releases...

We can celebrate with balloons! Just don't let them go!

Learn more about the impacts of balloon litter...and the solutions!