Monmouth Beach Tanks Balloon Releases

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By Denise DiStephan

MONMOUTH BEACH – The borough just took the air out of a common source of pollution that can kill creatures on land and sea.

The mayor and two commissioners voted Tuesday night to adopt an ordinance to ban the release of helium-filled balloons. The ordinance had passed on first reading at the Feb. 26 meeting when Mayor Sue Howard and commissioner Dave Stickle voted yes and commissioner Cunniff was absent, said borough clerk Joyce Escalante.

The ordinance says the action is being taken “to protect the environment, particularly marine and other wildlife, and the health, safety and welfare of persons and property by prohibiting the intentional release of balloons inflated with lighter than air gasses into the atmosphere.”

The ordinance continues: “It shall be unlawful for any person or entity to intentionally release, intentionally organize the release of, or otherwise intentionally cause the release of a balloon inflated with a gas that is lighter than air within the boundaries of the Borough of Monmouth Beach.”

Exceptions to the ordinance include balloons released for government-authorized scientific or meteorological purposes, hot air balloons recovered after launching and balloons remaining indoors.

The monetary penalty for violating the ordinance is at the discretion of the municipal judge within a certain range, which is not spelled out in the ordinance and was not readily available, Escalante said.

The ban follows the borough’s move last year to ban many of the plastic straws, plastic bags and Styrofoam containers used by local businesses. The ordinance, which went into effect last June, “calls for fines of $2,500 to be levied for any restaurant, business or store that provides a customer a single-use plastic bag, foam carryout container or plastic straw at the check stand, cash register or any other point of sale or departure.”

The ordinance offers two exceptions to the rule: single-use plastic bags may be used by stores to sell fishing bait and for dry cleaning pickups.

Helen Henderson, ALS ocean program manager, said she’s glad to see the borough impose the ban, following their move last year to oppose offshore oil and gas leases. Those two measures are two requirements for municipalities to become “Champions of the Coast.” The final requirement is for a town to pass a resolution in support of ocean planning.

Henderson said, in a prepared statement issued on Tuesday night:

“We thank Monmouth Beach for taking this action to protect our coast and ocean. By adopting this ordinance (that bans the intentional release of balloons), they are joining well over a dozen other New Jersey municipalities in stopping this pollution that is so harmful to marine life. Sea turtles and birds often mistake balloons as food and can also become entangled in the attached ribbons. When animals swallow balloons, they can block their intestinal tracts and lead to starvation.

“Many kinds of plastic pollution are a terrible problem in our ocean waters,” Henderson said. “However, a recent scientific study found that soft plastics like balloons were the type of pollution most likely to cause death in birds and turtles that ingested them due to the obstructions they can cause.”

There are alternatives to balloon releases, such as planting flowers and trees to mark an occasion or decorating with banners, bunting, garden kites, streamers, tissue paper and ribbons.

“We believe state-level legislation would help tremendously but until that time comes, we will continue to celebrate the communities like Monmouth Beach who are setting the bar high and leading by example,” Henderson added. “We hope Monmouth Beach is our next official Champion of the Coast community.”

The website of the American Littoral Society, an environmental organization active in New Jersey and New York, has the following description of the “Champions of the Coast” program: “At the American Littoral Society, conservation of marine life and habitat, protecting the coast from harm, and empowering others to do the same is fundamental to our mission. We believe that local leadership is imperative to maintaining the health of the environment and economy. We look to government agencies in the mid-Atlantic to make responsible decisions about our ocean and coasts, knowing that their decisions will impact coastal resiliency, ocean health, and the livelihoods of coastal communities for decades to come. This is our inspiration for the ‘Champions of the Coast’ program – to show that real people, towns, and communities have the power to leave a positive, lasting legacy.’ ”