Bringing balloons down to earth: Bill would end mass release

Intentionally releasing helium-filled balloons as part of celebrations, remembrances or any organized event could soon be illegal in New Jersey.

A bill introduced last month and making its way through the legislature bans the release of balloons because they are a significant source of litter when they fall to the ground, can be a danger around power lines and threaten sea turtles and other wildlife that mistake balloons for food. 

But a ban won't come without a fight. 

Representatives for the balloon lobby plan to meet with the bill's sponsor – Sen. Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic – to try to persuade him to drop the measure.

The Trenton-based Balloon Council beat back a similar attempt in New Jersey three decades ago and has spent more than $1 million in the past five years lobbying legislators against regulations, state records show. The group, a coalition of balloon manufacturers and retailers, has also spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in the past few years defeating proposed bans across the nation. 

The bans "are a threat to a lot of mom and pop businesses in the balloon industry," said Dale Florio of Princeton Public Affairs, the powerful Trenton lobbying group that represents the Balloon Council. "It creates a negative narrative about balloons, which is unfounded."

But the idea has taken hold again in New Jersey. Recently, bans have been enacted in a handful of municipalities along the Shore, including Atlantic City. Whelan's bill is similar to those bans. 

Advocacy groups, including the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions and Hackensack Riverkeeper, have begun lobbying towns in North Jersey to enact similar measures. 

"Having it town by town is spotty," Whelan said. "If another town allows balloon releases, it really doesn't take care of the problem. A statewide ban does." 

Whelan, who introduced the bill on May 15, said he has already been contacted by lobbyists for the council and said he will entertain a meeting with them to discuss the bill.

Violators could be fined up to $500 under the bill. 

Although balloon releases have long been common at celebrations and public memorials, there has been a push nationwide to stop the practice. States like Connecticut and Florida have banned the release of 10 or more balloons at one time.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service says balloons are a real threat to animals. The agency has urged people not to release balloons and has even posted grisly photos of dead birds and a turtle on a webpage. 

In recent months, Atlantic City, Margate, Ventnor and Longport have passed bans at the urging of environmental groups concerned about the coastal impact. 

And with graduation season underway, PSE&G recently reminded its customers not to release foil balloons because they can drift into electric lines and cause power outages. The metal foil can cause a short circuit. 

The  Balloon Council has argued that the threat to wildlife has been blown out of proportion. Although latex balloons can be found tangled in trees or littering beaches, they have not risen to the level of common litter like bottles and cans, the council says. 

This is not the first time a statewide ban was proposed. In 1989, the state Assembly unanimously passed a bill that prohibited all but scientists from releasing more than 10 helium balloons a day. But the Balloon Council lobbied against the measure, which died in the Senate.

"Policymakers have been very appreciative of the efforts put forward by the industry," Florio said. 

ENVIRONMENT:Pressure building in debate over releasing balloons