There has been some debate and confusion over how to best dispose of balloons, and as to their environmental impact. How to responsibly dispose of your used balloons depends on what they are made of:

Latex Balloons

Latex balloons are made from latex tapped from the rubber tree – Hevea Brasiliensis, a completely natural product. Organic pigments are added to the latex to make hundreds of colours.

It is thought  that latex balloons decompose at about the same rate as an oak leaf in natural soil conditions, but depending on the exact conditions the balloons end up in (i.e. salt water, sand etc) we would advise that they could take between 1 year and 3 years to decompose fully. For more information see https://www.peba.com.au/balloons-and-the-environment

Don't let go! - we love balloons but we love the environment too

We do not support balloon releases and we urge our customers 'Don't let go'. When Balloons are released into the air they will fall into our environment and simply become 'litter'. Although they will eventually decompose, until that time they will litter our beaches and countryside, they will be not only visually offensive but may also cause harm to wildlife and marine life.

• Latex Balloons will completely decompose over time
• Please 'Don't Let Go'' of your balloons for them to litter the environment
• Please dispose of Latex Balloons in your household waste where they will decompose in landfill.

Mylar (Metallic/Plastic) Balloons

Mylar balloons are made with a plastic/nylon, synthetic material that is recyclable but it does not biodegrade. They will be in the landfills forever, so recycle them along with your recyclable plastics.

Re-use rather than recycle! The best alternative to recycling Mylar Balloons is simply to save them to be reinflated on another occasion. Mylar balloons are fragile so this doesn't work every time, but If you insert a straw at least 6- 10 inches in length up into the hole where it was originally inflated, you can press out the remaining helium in order to store the balloons flat ready to reinflate when you next need them!

• Mylar Balloons are not Biodegradable
• Mylar Balloons are recyclable and can be disposed of with your recyclable plastics
  
• Please flatten, store and re-use your Mylar Balloons when possible.

The Fun Shop is a proud member of the Pro Environment Balloon Alliance. PEBA’s  members do not support or condone, nor will they facilitate the deliberate release of balloons. http://www.peba.com.au. Members of PEBA are committed to educating their clients, venue managers and the general public, by all possible means, in the responsible use and disposal of balloons. PIN IT & BIN IT!