In Massachusetts, a senior scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Chris Reddy, burst some bubbles when he said that Bunch O Balloon’s claim that “You can have a huge water balloon fight and not be worried about picking up the leftover pieces” is not accurate, according to LifeHacker. Reddy told LifeHacker, “I outright disagree with that statement,” that it may biodegrade eventually but “not a flick of a switch.” Reddy also said it’s harmful to tell kids they are allowed to litter if the discarded item is biodegradable and that “You get into the attitude of saying, ‘It’s OK.’”
Reddy told LifeHacker that companies often “game the system” because microbes in a flask with only a balloon to eat will eat it, but in the real world filled with many appetizing options, the balloon may stick around for many years.
Danielle Vosburgh, Co-founder of Balloons Blow, an organization that aims to “educate people about the destructive effects released balloons have on animals, people, and the environment,” told LifeHacker, “to suggest the mess doesn’t have to be picked up is highly irresponsible,” and that “Balloons are the deadliest child’s toy. If a child accidentally inhales a bit or whole balloon, it is nearly impossible to remove, almost always resulting in death.”