Celebrations may look different in Laguna Beach, California, these days. Starting this year, a new law there bans the sale and use of balloons at beaches, parks, and other public places. Anyone who breaks the law could face a fine of up to $500. Similar laws exist in other places in the U.S., including Manhattan Beach, California; Nantucket, Massachusetts; and Jacksonville, Florida.
The bans come in response to growing concerns about how balloons affect ocean life and the environment. After balloons are released into the air, they eventually pop or deflate. When deflated balloons float back down, they often end up on beaches or in the ocean. Birds, turtles, and other creatures can mistake them for food and choke on them. Sometimes, animals get tangled up in balloon strings.
Balloons can have a negative effect on humans too. For example, balloons can get caught in power lines and cause power outages and fires. Between 2015 and 2020, balloons contributed to more than 1,000 power outages in Southern California alone.
Residents of Laguna Beach don’t have to give up balloons completely. They can continue to buy balloons outside of the city and use them at home. But officials say the balloons must be properly discarded in the trash and never released outside.