Balloon Safety Concerns

A bevy of colorful balloons floating in the air shouts, “Celebration!”    We give helium-filled mylar and latex balloons as gifts for all occasions.  We hang them from ceilings, make arches with them, and put them on sticks for party decorations. Balloons add color and festivity to any occasion.  However, there are a few safety issues to consider when using balloons for your events.

By D. Sharon Pruitt

Consider the age of your guests.

Although children love balloons, they are not the safest thing for them.  Many balloon packages offer cautionary statements.  They state that deflated or broken balloons may pose a choking hazard for children under 8-years-old.  If you do decorate with balloons and have young children in attendance at your event, make sure to pay attention to any popped balloons.  If you can’t patrol the balloons, you may want to put someone else in charge of keeping an eye out for them.

Consider the environment.

Although having your guests release helium-filled balloons at your wedding, for instance, is romantic, doing so may harm animals and the environment.  On www.balloonhq.com, a balloon advocacy site, a writer states, “Although hand tied latex balloons are 100% biodegradable, they are still litter and do pose a potential threat to marine animals, seabirds and land animals.”  If you do choose to have a professional balloon release at a celebration, make certain you ask the provider about environmental safety concerns prior to hiring him.  Most importantly, ask the provider about balloon releases without attached strings or ribbons.   If ribbons are attached, eventually the ribbon may become dangerous for some creatures and create litter.

Many celebrations would be incomplete without vibrant balloons decorating the party area, so continue using them.  In fact, I’m a huge balloon fan.  Just pay attention to young children around them, dispose of them properly, and make informed choices about releasing them.

July 2nd, 2009 by Yolanda D. Young | Posted in Customs, Party Planning, Tips | (0)