This petition is to support the amendment of Florida State Statute 379.233 regarding the intentional release of helium filled balloons.  Currently, section 2 of this statute states that a person, firm or corporation may intentionally release up to 9 helium filled balloons within a 24-hour period.  We are petitioning to amend this statute to make it unlawful to intentionally release any helium filled balloons.

A study published in 2002 in the Journal of Marine Biology revealed that plastic debris was present in the either the stomach or the mouth of 15% of post-hatchling loggerhead sea turtles.  Ingestion of plastic is believed to contribute highly to the mortality of young pelagic loggerheads.  Plastic debris, such as balloons, concentrate within downwellings which are commonly inhabited by young turtles.  These results along with extensive eyewitness accounts of abandoned balloons adrift in Florida's coastal waters warrants action to further protect these animals that are described by Florida's Marine Turtle Protection Act (s. 379.2431) as threatened.

Balloons released into the air in Florida's coastal areas are likely to land in the sea.  These balloons should be treated as litter and their intentional release should be prohibited by law.