'Rogue' balloons are environment-unfriendly

Straits Times 4 Oct 11;

MY FAMILY and I took part in the Pink Ribbon Walk last Saturday. The event was well managed and enjoyable.

The weather was fine and breezy and children were treated to balloons at the start of the walk.

A number of these balloons, however, were released into the air for fun by the innocent children while some others slipped away from their fingers. By the time we came to the finishing point, the balloons were no longer flying high. They had dropped into the Marina Reservoir a distance away.

Balloons are non-biodegradable and may contain toxic material that are damaging to the life that the water holds.

I hope the relevant authorities will look into this matter and regulate the giving out of free balloons at mass events. Participants should also be advised not to release the balloons indiscriminately.

Littering is bad, and this is environmentally damaging.

Michael Loy