Balloon Decor Theme Decor Special Effects Selection Page

*Even when the trees producing latex for balloon manufacturing grown on plantations instead of in rain forests, they help the ecosystem, as the natural biology of the trees helps maintain our atmosphere and protect the ozone layer.

*The balloon industry requires the latex from 16-million trees that, in total, take up more than 363-million kilograms of CO₂ gases annually from the earth’s atmosphere.

What happens to balloons the are released?

*After a helium-filled balloon is released, it rises through the atmosphere at a little under two metres per second.

*Both atmospheric pressure and temperature drop as altitude increases.

*The balloon rises to a height of about 28,000 feet (about 8.4 kilometres) over a period of about 90 minutes.

*At that altitude the temperature is about 40 degrees C below zero and the balloon expands to reach its elastic limit.

*A 27-centimetre balloon elongates, on average, to about 700% of its original, uninflated, size before bursting.

*Under these high altitude conditions, the balloon actually shatters and undergoes what is called a “brittle fracture”.

*The resulting pieces of rubber the size of twenty-cent piece float back to earth and are scatted over a wide area.

*The vast majority of balloons will have this fate.

The litter factor: Balloons after bursting

*It’s at this point, a balloon completes the last part of its life cycle.

*The rubber pieces continue to biodegrade (a process which begins, from the moment a balloon is manufactured) until it has totally disappeared.

*The time taken varies, on average, the decay for latex is about the same of an oak leaf after Autumn (tests conducted using American conditions).

*A helium-filled balloon which has shattered at altitude will biodegrade much faster than a whole balloon which is simply disposed of in landfill waste.

*However, no matter what the environment, a latex balloon decays from the moment its manufacture is completed.

Balloons that don’t burst

*An American study estimated that well under 5% of balloons released will not rise high enough to rupture.

*However, even assuming a less conservative estimate of 10%, the density of balloons on the ground after a mass release would be fewer than one balloon in more 38 square kilometres for every 500 balloons released.

Balloons and wildlife

*There no basis for fear that animals and fish are consuming balloons from mass release balloons, or that balloons are having an adverse effect on wildlife.

*BASA makes this claim on the basis of:

*Lack of any evidence from Australian fishermen that they ever find mass-release balloons, or balloon remnants, in fish that have been caught

*No observed balloon litter in any environment which is carefully monitored by Government authorities –

e.g. national parks, marine parks, forests, harbours and foreshores.

*Surveys by oceanic countries which show no balloon or latex rubber debris in litter surveys following mass releases in Australia Observations from widely-scattered observers involved in the Keep Australia Beautiful programs.

*Controlled monitoring and tracking of multi-balloon releases for the purpose of measuring any litter problem.

*To read the full report on this research please visit www.balloonhq.com/faq/deco_releases/release_study.html

*The balloon Industry worldwide is aware of its social obligations and practices it's moral obligation to ensure

that consumers are aware of the best use of the product.

*BASA and it's members work to educate all those who enjoy working with or use balloons.

WE TAKE OUR BALLOONS SERIOUSLY SO, YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE FUN
Rubber for latex balloons ...... really does grow on trees
Save a tree --- Buy a balloon today

Save a Forest - Decorate with Balloon Decor

No matter how concerned you are about the environment actions speak louder than words

Please dispose of all refuse correctly.