Ban on import of balloons in the offing |30 November 2020
Balloons left on the beach after a party always end up in the ocean and become a hazard to sea creatures
During the Victoria clean-up at the weekend, the President of the Republic, Wavel Ramkalawan, announced that soon the government will take a decision regarding the usage of balloons in our country.
“We need the country to be clean and we can see the effects of balloons on our beaches and country. When people finish having their parties on the beach, they unfortunately leave the balloons on the beach which are then washed away by the waves. The balloons end up being consumed by our sea creatures thus destroying them. With our current situation, balloon is not a priority to be imported.”
Reacting to the proposed ban on the import of balloons, the principal secretary for Environment, Alain de Comarmond, stated that this is good news for the country.
“Everyone who is conscious about the environment knows the effect of balloons on our environment. We consulted a lot on this issue and the announcement made is very encouraging. Government will always try to implement restrictions where it is necessary but the public also need to understand their responsibility.
As we say every action has a reaction! Isn’t it time for us to analyse our actions?
Some quotes about the dangers of balloons in the environment
“For years, biologists have documented the negative impacts of latex balloons on marine wildlife. More recently, researchers have seen devastating evidence of what they can do to terrestrial wildlife as well.” Outdoor California, Rebecca Barboza 2010 (Floating Menace)
“Natural latex is biodegradable and environmentally safe, but, according to Rubber Technology, it is treated with ammonia and with tetramethylthiuramdisulfide plus zinc oxide as a preservative against bacterial decomposition. Balloons are usually made with a small amount of plasticizer added. They hardly classify as natural after all that. In fact, sewage treatment plant operators report that latex is one of several problem materials that are not affected by the biological treatment system.” Peter C. Hibbard, New York Times 1990 (Balloons’ Effect On the Environment)
Marine debris is a big concern for the EPA. What balloons don’t fall inland will usually fall in the ocean. Then, they run the potential of adding to an already large problem 100 miles or so off the coast — the North Atlantic Garbage Patch.
Vidya Gappy