GALVESTON, Texas — The City of Galveston has banned balloon releases due to environmental concerns.
The Galveston City Council approved this new ordinance earlier this month, prohibiting residents and visitors from releasing balloons outdoors "in an effort to eliminate litter caused by such releases and reduce harm to the environment."
Under the ordinance, intentionally releasing a balloon outdoors is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by an up to $200 fine.
"Balloon releases are sometimes done for celebratory or remembrance reasons, however, the balloons become litter that is harmful to several marine and bird species," the city wrote in a press release. "The goal of the ordinance is to educate residents and visitors about the environmental harms of balloons releases and eliminate the practice within the city of Galveston."
City officials said the new ordinance does carry a few exceptions for balloons released by a person on behalf of a governmental agency for scientific or meteorological purposes.
You can read the ordinance in its entirety here.
