Balloon releases could soon be banned in Cleveland.
On Monday (November 15), the Cleveland City Council introduced legislation to bar massive balloon releases in the city, limiting residents from releasing “ten or more balloons inflated with a gas that is lighter than air” within a 24-hour period. It makes the exception for balloons released on behalf of a governmental agency, for scientific or meteorological purposes, hot air balloons recovering after launch, and balloons released indoors, the ordinance states.
The ordinance — introduced by council members Kevin L. Bishop, Brian Kazy and Anthony Brancatelli — explains that the litter from large balloon releases disrupts electric utilities and can threaten wildlife, and “about 18,000 balloons or pieces of balloons made of mylar or latex were found during Alliance of the Great Lakes beach clean-ups between 2016 and 2018, according to a Plain Dealer report…this Council finds that the release into the atmosphere of large numbers of balloons inflated with lighter-than-air gases poses a danger and nuisance to the environment and public safety.”
News 5 Cleveland reports that the legislation would ban what’s become common at vigils and other gatherings, and noted the “not so great” Balloonfest of 1986, sharing a video of the record-setting, gargantuan release:
Cleveland isn’t alone. Several states — including Virginia, Tennessee, Florida, Connecticut and California — have instated their own bans on balloon releases. In Ohio, Toledo has already taken that step, according to Cleveland City Council officials. This year, for example, Illinois sought to burst the bubble on balloon releases by imposing $500 fines per offense.