Balloons and the environment At Cardiff Balloons, our belief that we all have a responsibility to limit our impact on the environment. We try and make everyday changes to acomplish this. We are members of PEBA, NABAS and BAPIA. These groups have rules and regulations. These demonstrate some of our business practices and how we limit our impact on the environment.

Cardiff Balloons pin it and bin it

As a business, we have taken the decision not to support the release of any balloon into the sky. Irrelevant if it is a biodegradable balloon or not. Litter is litter, what goes up must come down and so on. We ask all our customers both private and commercial, “please pin it and bin it ”

We will happily advise how to dispose of your used balloon decorations.

Biodegradable Balloons

All latex balloons used by Cardiff Balloons are 100% natural latex and fully biodegrade.  So any latex balloons an be popped and then placed in the compost. Latex is harvested from rubber trees without harming the tree. This latex is then manufactured into balloons.

Unfortunately foil balloons are not biodegradable. However that does not mean that they are simply waste. Foil balloons can be deflated, and recycled to use again. Or they can be deflated and used in many arts and craft hobbies. Foil balloons are one of the most damaging to our environment if released. They conduct electricity, hence have been blamed for disabling rail systems etc and when they do come back to earth, they will never biodegrade and are nothing more than litter.

Helium Or Balloon Gas

Cardiff Helium

Balloon gas that is used by Cardiff Balloons ( often referred to as helium ) is not pure helium. Purest helium is used mainly in medical and scientific industries. Helium is used in MRI scanners and the like. However balloon gas is a by product of this helium. As cylinders of pure helium are filled. The escaped gas mixes with air and is captured and compressed into cylinders as balloon gas. Some manufacturers can capture this helium when filling MRI scanners. Manufacturers have stated that this wasted helium is considered a ‘recycled product’. As it would have been lost to the environment had it not been captured and re-purposed. If the balloon market demand declined, manufacturers would have to re-evaluate other markets and consider the possibilities of re-liquefying it. Re-liquefying is currently considered uneconomical from the locations of where the filling application take place.

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