balloonDECOR and The Environment
Our Environmental Statement
Compiled by Sean J O’Kelly Owner Manager, Balloon Décor Australia.
Balloon Décor Australia only use and recommend environmentally friendly recyclable latex balloons.
Information regarding the environmentally friendliness of our latex balloons has been obtained from the Australian Balloon Artists & Suppliers Association's [BASA] Website www.balloonartists.com.au and the Pro Environment Balloon Alliance [PEBA] Website www.peba.com.au
Degradability
Our Latex Balloon are made from a natural substance that breaks down in both sunlight and water and should never be confused with plastic.
The degradation process begins almost immediately after a balloon is manufactured. Oxidation, the "frosting" that makes latex balloons look as if they are losing their colour, is one of the first signs of the process.
Research shows that under common environmental conditions, latex balloons will degrade at about the same rate as a leaf from an oak tree.
The actual total degradation time will vary depending on the precise conditions of sunlight, temperature and humidity.
To read the full report on this research please visit www.balloonhq.com/faq/deco_releases/release_study.html
Saving Rain Forests
Rubber trees, from which the latex for balloons is harvested, are one of the main forms of vegetation in tropical rain forests, which in recent years have played a crucial role in maintaining the earth's fragile ecological balance. Harvesting latex can be more profitable to poor third world nations than raising cattle on the deforested land.
The natural biology of the tree helps maintain our atmosphere and protect the ozone layer.
The balloon industry worldwide requires the latex from approx 16-million rubber trees that, in total, take up more than 363-million kilograms of CO2 gases annually from the earth's atmosphere.
Balloons Should NEVER BE RELEASED into the atmosphere
After a helium-filled balloon is released, it rises through the atmosphere on average at approx two metres per second. Both atmospheric pressure and temperature drop as altitude increases. When the balloon rises to a height of about 28,000 feet (about 8.4 kilometres) over a period of about 90 minutes the temperature is about 40 degrees C below zero. At his height the balloon will expanded to reach its elastic limit to about 700% of its original, un-inflated, size before bursting. These high altitude conditions cause the balloon to shatter into pieces about the size of a ten-cent piece. These fragments float back to earth over a wide area. The vast majority of balloons will have this fate.
Regardless: BALLOONS SHOULD NEVER BE RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
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 degrade until it has totally disappeared.
Balloons that don't burst
An American study estimated that well under five per cent 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 kilometers for every 500 balloons released.
Regardless : BALLOONS SHOULD NEVER BE RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
Balloons and wildlife
All responsible Balloon Professionals work to educate the public of the potential dangers to wildlife if a balloon is freely released into the atmosphere and understand that releasing them is littering.
We do not hesitate to once again remind everyone that BALLOONS SHOULD NEVER BE RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
After the EVENT
Balloon Decor Australia offer a Retrieval&Disposal service for all balloon used in their decoration.
If their service is not required Balloon Decor Australia recommend, (because the natural latex balloon will decompose), that the balloons be placed loosely in the household rubbish or contained in a paper bag allowing the balloons to breakdown with other compostable items.
BALLOONS SHOULD NEVER BE DISPOSED OF IN A PLASTIC OR NON-BIODEGRADEABLE CONTAINER
You can read the full report on research related to this at www.balloonhq.com/faq/deco_releases/release_study.html
Compiled by Sean J O’Kelly Owner Manager, Balloon Décor Australia.
Balloon Décor Australia only use and recommend environmentally friendly recyclable latex balloons.
Information regarding the environmentally friendliness of our latex balloons has been obtained from the Australian Balloon Artists & Suppliers Association's [BASA] Website www.balloonartists.com.au and the Pro Environment Balloon Alliance [PEBA] Website www.peba.com.au
Degradability
Our Latex Balloon are made from a natural substance that breaks down in both sunlight and water and should never be confused with plastic.
The degradation process begins almost immediately after a balloon is manufactured. Oxidation, the "frosting" that makes latex balloons look as if they are losing their colour, is one of the first signs of the process.
Research shows that under common environmental conditions, latex balloons will degrade at about the same rate as a leaf from an oak tree.
The actual total degradation time will vary depending on the precise conditions of sunlight, temperature and humidity.
To read the full report on this research please visit www.balloonhq.com/faq/deco_releases/release_study.html
Saving Rain Forests
Rubber trees, from which the latex for balloons is harvested, are one of the main forms of vegetation in tropical rain forests, which in recent years have played a crucial role in maintaining the earth's fragile ecological balance. Harvesting latex can be more profitable to poor third world nations than raising cattle on the deforested land.
The natural biology of the tree helps maintain our atmosphere and protect the ozone layer.
The balloon industry worldwide requires the latex from approx 16-million rubber trees that, in total, take up more than 363-million kilograms of CO2 gases annually from the earth's atmosphere.
Balloons Should NEVER BE RELEASED into the atmosphere
After a helium-filled balloon is released, it rises through the atmosphere on average at approx two metres per second. Both atmospheric pressure and temperature drop as altitude increases. When the balloon rises to a height of about 28,000 feet (about 8.4 kilometres) over a period of about 90 minutes the temperature is about 40 degrees C below zero. At his height the balloon will expanded to reach its elastic limit to about 700% of its original, un-inflated, size before bursting. These high altitude conditions cause the balloon to shatter into pieces about the size of a ten-cent piece. These fragments float back to earth over a wide area. The vast majority of balloons will have this fate.
Regardless: BALLOONS SHOULD NEVER BE RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
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 degrade until it has totally disappeared.
Balloons that don't burst
An American study estimated that well under five per cent 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 kilometers for every 500 balloons released.
Regardless : BALLOONS SHOULD NEVER BE RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
Balloons and wildlife
All responsible Balloon Professionals work to educate the public of the potential dangers to wildlife if a balloon is freely released into the atmosphere and understand that releasing them is littering.
We do not hesitate to once again remind everyone that BALLOONS SHOULD NEVER BE RELEASED INTO THE ATMOSPHERE
After the EVENT
Balloon Decor Australia offer a Retrieval&Disposal service for all balloon used in their decoration.
If their service is not required Balloon Decor Australia recommend, (because the natural latex balloon will decompose), that the balloons be placed loosely in the household rubbish or contained in a paper bag allowing the balloons to breakdown with other compostable items.
BALLOONS SHOULD NEVER BE DISPOSED OF IN A PLASTIC OR NON-BIODEGRADEABLE CONTAINER
You can read the full report on research related to this at www.balloonhq.com/faq/deco_releases/release_study.html