Planning a balloon release? Florida bill aims to ban them. Info about HB 321, possible fines

Samantha Neely, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
·3 min read

For many, balloons are staples for major life events. Birthday parties, weddings, marathons and celebrations of life. However, at the end of day, more often than not, they end up as trash in the state’s waterways.

A Florida bill, which makes it illegal to intentionally release balloons, has passed in the Florida house and is now headed to the desk of Gov. Ron DeSantis.

"Florida made the right call today in banning intentional balloon releases. Balloons are one of the deadliest forms of plastic pollution for ocean wildlife,” Oceana Field Campaigns Manager Hunter Miller said in a press release. “It’s great to see state legislators from both sides of the aisle come together to support a commonsense bill and get it passed. We call on Governor DeSantis to quickly sign this into law.”

Intentional balloon releases in Florida: What is HB 321?

Twenty-two balloons, one for each year of Florida State University student Will Proctor's life, were released during a vigil held in his memory after he died over the weekend Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020.
Twenty-two balloons, one for each year of Florida State University student Will Proctor's life, were released during a vigil held in his memory after he died over the weekend Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020.

House Bill 321 seeks to ban any intentional balloon releases in the state. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Linda Chaney, R-St. Pete Beach, seeking to make the action a noncriminal littering offense.

According to the bill's analysis, it revises the penalties for intentionally releasing balloons by specifying that a person commits littering if they intentionally release, organize the release of, or intentionally cause to be released balloons inflated with a gas that is lighter than air.

Currently, Florida's law prohibits any person from intentionally releasing, organizing the release, or intentionally causing to be released within a 24-hour period 10 or more balloons inflated with a gas that is lighter than air.

What are the legal consequences of having a balloon release in Florida?

HB 321 would classify the intentional release of all balloons inflated with a gas lighter than air as littering, and people who violate the law could be subject to a $150 fine. Of that amount, $50 would go to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's solid waste management trust fund.

For balloons over 15 pounds, fines could reach up to $1,000.

Is there an exemption for biodegradable balloons?

The bill will remove the previous exemption for balloons that have been determined by FWC rules to be biodegradable or photodegradable.

When will HB 321 take effect?

The bill passed both chambers with bipartisan support. If signed into law DeSantis, it would take effect July 1, 2024.

How bad are balloons for the environment?

A community member sent a picture of a balloon found 16 miles offshore in the ocean to Nicole Crosby, representative of the St. Johns County Soil & Water Conservation District. Crosby started a petition which ultimately succeeded in banning balloon and lantern releases in St. Johns County early in 2022.
A community member sent a picture of a balloon found 16 miles offshore in the ocean to Nicole Crosby, representative of the St. Johns County Soil & Water Conservation District. Crosby started a petition which ultimately succeeded in banning balloon and lantern releases in St. Johns County early in 2022.

Nonprofit Oceana shares scientists estimate that 33 billion pounds of plastic wash into the ocean every year, which equates to about two garbage trucks’ worth of plastic entering the ocean every minute.

Balloons are typically made of foil or latex and are inflated with a gas lighter than air. They are sealed with plastic ribbons, valves, tie-off discs, and clips. The bill's own analysis states when balloons are released, they drift away and eventually fall somewhere becoming litter, which can be dangerous to wildlife and the environment.

"Balloons take years to break down and often end up in waterways or the ocean, where they can be swallowed by marine animals. Turtles have been found to selectively eat burst balloons because they look like jellyfish, their natural food," the description reads. "Balloons, along with any ribbons or plastic discs attached, can harm animals by blocking their airways or becoming lodged in their intestines. Ribbons and strings from balloons can also become entangled round birds and other animals, making them unable to move."

In which states are balloon releases illegal?

In addition to Florida, several other states have passed or put forward legislation to ban or limit balloon releases outdoors, such as:

  • California

  • Connecticut

  • Tennessee

  • Maine

  • Maryland

  • Virginia

I was planning on doing a balloon release. What should I do instead?

The Child Abuse Prevention Task Force, court staff, child welfare professionals from several agencies, and others took part in the April 18 Pinwheel Planting and a proclamation read by Circuit Judge Kelly J. McKibben, including words by Governor Ron DeSantis, outside the Moore Justice Center in Viera.
The Child Abuse Prevention Task Force, court staff, child welfare professionals from several agencies, and others took part in the April 18 Pinwheel Planting and a proclamation read by Circuit Judge Kelly J. McKibben, including words by Governor Ron DeSantis, outside the Moore Justice Center in Viera.

Already have plans to hold a balloon release for an upcoming event this year? It's not too late to pivot. Party With a Cause shared some eco-friendly, easily cleaned up alternatives to the popular balloon releases, such as

  • Bubbles

  • Kites

  • Wish Papers

  • Wind Socks

  • Fabric Flag Bunting

  • Luminaries

  • (Biodegradable) Confetti toss

  • Powder canon

  • Pinwheels

  • Origami

  • Float flowers or candles

  • Natural boats

  • Plant a tree

  • Memorial garden

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Florida bill may make balloon releases illegal: Eco-friendly alternatives

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