TALLAHASSEE — Sea turtles, aves and children under 7 years old will be protected by a new Florida law that prohibits releasing custody intentionally.
The law, signed into law Monday by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, replaces an existing ban that prevented releasing 10 or more balloons within a 24-hour period. The Legislature passed the bill in March with bipartisan support, and the law has been praised by environmentalists.
“Balloons are among the deadliest ocean plastics for humans.” species and are the most lethal form of plastic waste for seabirds. Florida’s new law will help save ocean animals from these preventable deaths,” said Hunter Miller, Florida representative for the Washington-based environmental group Oceana.
The law exempts children under 7 years old. Anyone else can be fined for littering if they intentionally release a single balloon. The new law also eliminates the exemption for biodegradable balloons. DeSantis passed the law privately and made no statement about it.
An analysis of the bill prepared by lawmakers said balloons are commonly released at weddings, funerals, sporting events, graduations and celebrations of various kinds.
After efforts to limit the use of plastic bags and straws, pressure from environmentalists against releasing balloons has gained momentum. Previously, the Legislative Assembly had prevented local governments from banning plastic bags. In 2019, DeSantis vetoed a bill that would have temporarily prohibited local governments from outlawing plastic straws.
Florida is a large peninsula, and has no point more than 60 miles (97 kilometers) from the Atlantic Ocean or the Gulf of Mexico. Balloons can fly for days, and winds and currents can carry them far from where they were released.
Once they deflate and fall, sea turtles mistake them for one of their favorite foods: jellyfish. Birds, manatees, whales and other marine life also eat balloons, which can block their digestive tracts and cause them to starve.
“Balloon litter in water bodies affects more than 260 species worldwide, and has been identified as one of the five most lethal types of marine debris in relation to the risk it poses to marine life,” the legislative analysis states, adding that animals can also become entangled in balloon chains.
Source: With information from AP
