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ORLANDO, Fla. — A piece of legislation, HB 321, banning the intentional release of balloons outside is heading to the desk of Gov. DeSantis for signing.
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Ocean Conservancy, the nation’s oldest marine conservation nonprofit, applauds the bill and said this is a monumental step to save birds, turtles, and other sea creatures.
When marine animals are entangled in balloon litter or eat it, they not only suffer, but can die.
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“For years, Ocean Conservancy has passionately advocated for this pivotal measure to shield our marine ecosystems from the harmful effects of balloon litter,” said Jon Paul “J.P.” Brooker, Ocean Conservancy’s Florida director of conservation. “We are thrilled to see this bill pass and eagerly await the Governor’s signature.”
The current law states that it is illegal to release more than 10 balloons in 24 hours. If HB 321 is signed into law by the governor, it will prohibit releasing any balloons in Florida.
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Violators will be subject to a $150 fine, with an exception for children aged 6 and under.
According to news release from Ocean Conservancy, A study of sea turtles found that of the 41 pieces of rubber eaten by turtles studied, 32 pieces (78%) were balloon fragments, and that balloons are the deadliest type of plastic that seabirds ingest—being 32 times more likely to kill them compared to hard plastics.
In nearly 40 years, Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup program and its volunteers have picked up more than 1.8 million balloons littered across coastlines worldwide. In 2021 alone, volunteers collected 34,921 balloons globally.
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