Who knew the dangers of balloons? 

Dr. Peter Lutz, noted sea turtle biologist in Florida, published a study in 1990 on the ingestion of latex balloon pieces by sea turtles. It was presented at the Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Marine Debris. Dr. Lutz' study found:

1. When offered a mix of pieces of clear plastic and brightly colored latex, the turtles showed a strong preference for the latex pieces over the plastic.

2. In experiments with latex only, sea turtles demonstrated that if their appetite is sufficient, they will actively swim towards and ingest latex materials, that all colors are acceptable, and that the amount ingested will depend on their nutritional state.

3. The length of time that the latex remained in the turtle's intestinal tract ranged from a few days to four months, with a peak time period of eight weeks. (Note: the normal gut passage time in sea turtles is approx. 10 days.)

4. Turtles passed multiple pieces bound together, although they had ingested the individual pieces at different times, showing the possible cumulative effect of ingestion of latex balloon pieces.

Evidence of Impacts: Scientists who work with stranded whales, dolphins, seals and sea turtles have been looking at the stomach contents of these dead marine animals. These scientists have found balloons, parts of balloons and balloon string during numerous necropsies.

Some more interesting facts:

• The balloon industry claims balloons degrade as fast as an oak leaf. IF this were true, balloons would take up to four years to fully degrade - much too long a time for them to be around to be found and eaten by an unsuspecting animal.
• Scientific studies have proven that sea turtles show a feeding preference for brightly colored balloons over other items such as clear plastic - and they do not pass through the digestive tract of a turtle in the normal time but have been proven to accumulate and may take up to four months to pass through (normal time is ~ 10 days).
•  Releasing balloons into the air is the same as littering. The balloon industry claims balloons explode in many tiny harmless fragments when they reach a certain altitude, but the over 32,000 balloons picked up on beaches during a 1999 cleanup would indicate otherwise - many return to earth intact.
• Many states (including Florida) and municipalities have banned balloon launches. Launches are widely regarded by many in the general public as very harmful to the environment and to marine animals. Promoting a balloon launch as part of their event will only attract negative publicity to an otherwise honorable cause."
  

(information from the Caribbean Conservation Corporation(CCC) and Sea Turtle Survival Leaguehttp://www.cccturtle.org & from Clean Ocean Actionin New Jersey, USA.)

"MERMAIDS' TEARS"

British researchers believe that Microscopic particles of plastic could be poisoning the oceans.  They report that small plastic pellets called "mermaids' tears", which are the result of industry and domestic waste, have spread across the world's seas.  Plastics such as bottles, bags and even fishing line make its way into our waters.  Sturdy and durable plastic does not bio-degrade, it only breaks down physically, and so persists in the environment for possibly hundreds of years.   Scientists are concerned that these fragments will infiltrate the oceans food chains.

Dr Richard Thompson at the University of Plymouth is leading research into what happens when plastic breaks down in seawater and what effect it is having on the marine environment. In an experiment Scientists looked at the barnacle, the lugworm and the common amphipod or sand-hopper, and found that all three readily ingested plastic as they fed along the seabed.  "These creatures are eaten by others along food chain," Dr Thompson explained. "It seems an inevitable consequence that it will pass along the food chain. There is the possibility that chemicals could be transferred from plastics to marine organisms."  

With our oceans being littered everyday with harmful plastics our marine life continues to be at risk.  Litter is not just a local problem but a global one that will impact future generations to come if we don't do something now.

Litter Impacts - the human cost
Litter not only affects the organisms that live in the sea, but everyone of us. Litter can be a health hazard, offputting to tourists, and cause fouling of fishing gear and boat propellers. It also costs US taxpayers and beach managers many millions of dollars to clear-up and dispose of annually.

Clean-up Costs
Local authorities (and ultimately tax payers) bear the financial burden of cleaning beach litter. Local authorities, industry and coastal communities spend approximately millions of dollars a year to clean up beach litter in the United States alone. Although there are volunteer groups and non-for profit organizations that have cleanups, there is still a surplus of trash that needs to be picked up.

Tourism
Nobody wants to visit a dirty beach! Annually the Florida alone has millions of tourist from the US or from other countries. Recreation and tourism are particularly affected by the presence of sewage related debris (SRD) which suggests that surrounding waters may be contaminated by sewage. When people are aware of SRD (and broken glass etc), they may look elsewhere. This can have serious implications for a coastal community that depends on tourism. Florida’s beaches are a major draw to tourists and to have them filled with litter may result in loss of tourism and economical hardship for the local areas that count on the tourism.
In the UK, harbor authorities also have to pay to keep navigation channels free of litter - a survey of 42 harbor authorities reported that £26,100 is spent per year in some ports to clear fouled propellers and remove debris from the water (KIMO, 2000). In addition, millions of pounds of insurance claims are made every year as a direct result of damage caused by floating litter.

      
Fishing
The United States is not the only country affected by this litter problem. For Example in England the fishing industry suffers lost earnings due to contamination of catches by litter, damage to fishing gear, and time and effort spent sorting debris from the catch. A survey of fishermen in Shetland found that 92% had caught debris in their nets, 69% have had their catch contaminated and 92% had snagged their nets on debris on the seabed. Commercial fishing interests can also be affected when fisheries resources are depleted by 'ghost fishing' where lost or abandoned nets and traps continue to capture target and non-target species. These nets can last for many years due to the persistent nature of plastic which most nets are now made of. Some estimates put the cost of marine litter to the fishing industry at over £23 million a year (Environment Agency, 2002).
Fouled propellers, and pierced hulls can also endanger human life if a vessel cannot return to port, or cannot steer to avoid collision.

Health

Human health can also be affected by marine litter, particularly hazardous sharp items. Syringes, broken bottles and other harmful and dangerous debris are either left on the beaches or are washed up. Cigarette butts with their harmful chemicals leach into the water you are swimming in or in the sand where you lay your body to tan. Other harmful chemicals in bottles or canister wash up that may also affect a person’s health.

     
Synthetic Metal Conditioner    Rusty Fishing hook...OUCH!   Cigs, and their chemicals

Plastic washed up in the seaweed which is food to  many sea creatures.

*All photos taken by R.A.Halasz and our property of the Sand Sifters*