Selfish and dangerous: Balloon releases are not the way to honour the dead

Balloon releases featured in headline news this week following the vigil on Primrose Hill in memory of 21-year-old student, Finbar Sullivan who was recently murdered in London.

Scrolling through Facebook, I spotted a few outlets including Nation Cymru posting images of the vigil, held on the site of the knife attack, which was attended by over 1,000 people.

In a call for love and unity, and to decry any hatred that might be felt, Sullivan’s mum Leah Seresin shared: “I want his legacy to be about heralding these beautiful young people and giving them respect.”

Quick to check comments, my initial thoughts were, thankfully, those of many others out there who tiptoed around the subject carefully, yet shared their very valid unease at the unintended and overlooked legacy of balloon releases.

One commenter wrote under Wales Online’s write-up: “Ffs! Why release balloons? They’re not going to heaven!”

Another added: “Stop murdering wildlife with balloon releases !!!”

Deborah Gwilliam shared a post in the Seagull Appreciation Society, writing: “Sad to see on BBC News this morning, the release of balloons on Primrose Hill, London, in memory of murder victim, Finbar Sullivan. The vigil in Finbar’s memory, undoubtedly moving, but every one of those balloons is a ticking timebomb, for wildlife, pets, livestock, canal, river and sea creatures, including seagulls.

“Seagulls and other marine birds are frequently harmed by balloon litter, with studies finding that balloons and balloon fragments are the deadliest form of plastic pollution for seabirds, killing roughly one in five that ingest them.”

And it’s not just this event – across the whole of Wales and the world, large-scale and organised or small-scale following a funeral, balloon and lantern releases are still chosen as a mark of ‘respect’ following a death, with grieving families believing they’re going heaven-ward, completely oblivious to the environmental impact and the potential for injury or death for our already-struggling wildlife.

Natural Resources Wales has long-warned of the dangers of balloon releases which they say cause ‘horrific’ damage to cattle, bird and marine life – with many animals starving to death after mistaking them for food.

In blog post from 2023, Jenny Hoyle, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) Environment Officer, has warned of the unintended consequences of the releases, which are intended as heartfelt gestures for lost loved-ones.

Balloons are often mistaken for food by wildlife and cattle and once swallowed can block the gut, slowly starving them to death. Birds are also liable to becoming tangled up in balloon ribbon and string which can restrict their movement and ability to feed.

Horrifying deaths

Ms Hoyle asks us to “picture a young seal pup on our coast found dying with its flippers bound together by plastic balloon string. Imagine a diseased hen harrier on our uplands having sadly become entangled.”

“Are these the potentially distressing sights we wish to cause and then remember our loved ones by?”

Over the past few years, NRW has received several reports of balloon releases taking place on or near some of Wales’ Special Sites of Scientific Interest (SSSI). These are areas that provide habitats to some of Wales’ rarest and most threatened wildlife.

Protected sites such as the Ruabon, Llantysilio Mountain and Minera SSSI near Llangollen are home to vulnerable and protected species such as the iconic black grouse and curlew. Fallen balloons can harm these species and the livestock which are used to maintain the moorland habitats. Endangering these protected species can potentially lead to prosecution under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981).

Ms Hoyle added: “The incidents caused by balloon releases only add to the current troubles facing nature. The scale and rate of biodiversity loss across the nation is accelerating, impacting on species who depend upon our natural resources and the very foundation of our existence.

“When we threaten biodiversity, we are threatening our food supply, our health, our jobs, our economy and our sense of place.

“…Let us celebrate responsibly, mindful of the impact our actions can have on the delicate balance of nature.”

‘Stop, reflect and think’

Gene Simmons from North Wales Seal Rescue Organisation shares the same position as NRW.

Following a case of a seal that died after becoming entangled in balloon string, he said: “There are much better ways in my opinion, and more environmentally-friendly ways, to celebrate the life of your loved ones.

“And we don’t think that they’re bad people, we don’t even think that they’re silly people.

“We just ask that they just stop, reflect and think about much better ways to celebrate those lives and celebrate the legacy of the loved ones that they’ve lost.”

Currently, half of all local authorities in Wales have banned balloon releases, but there have been persistent calls from the RSPCA, campaigners and the public alike for an outright ban, such as with sky lanterns.

A now-closed Senedd petition is currently under the consideration of the petitions committee.

Sky, or Chinese, lanterns also pose a significant threat to wildlife, and their release was banned by all local authorities in Wales back in 2018.

Like balloon releases, they also litter the countryside and pose a hazard to wildlife, but also pose a real risk of serious fire damage, especially during dry summer months.

There are so many positive moves that can be made following a tragic death – we can plant trees and wildflowers, give to charity, campaign – any number of beautiful, lasting, restorative legacies.

Whoever had the idea to arrange the balloon release had their heart in the right place, but the time to call it out is now.

It’s selfish, dangerous and an ugly legacy that no one who cares about the planet and its inhabitants would want for themselves.

For more information on the dangers of balloon releases, Keep Wales Tidy has released a document called Letter from the Air, which you can read here.