Now that plastic straws may be headed for extinction, could Americans’ love of balloons be deflated?
The joyous celebration of releasing balloons into the air has long bothered environmentalists, who say the pieces that fall back to earth can be deadly to seabirds and turtles that eat them. So as companies vow to banish plastic straws, there are signs balloons will be among the products to get more scrutiny, even though they’re a very small part of environmental pollution.
“There are all kinds of alternatives to balloons, a lot of ways to express yourself,” says Kenneth Lacoste, first warden of New Shoreham, Rhode Island, who cites posters, piñatas and decorated paper.
Balloons are not among the top 10 kinds of debris found in coastal cleanups, but Tonge says they’re common and especially hazardous to marine animals, which can also get entangled in balloon strings.
Date: August 15, 2018
Image: Google Images
Coordinator: EnvGuide Team
Source: https://www.nbcnews.com/science/environment/away-after-plastic-straws-balloons-get-more-scrutiny-environmentalists-n901001