On a recent cleanup day in Raleigh, volunteers pulled bottles and snack wrappers from a floating trash trap. Then something brighter caught their eye: bits of burst balloons and loose ribbon, the ...

A new North Carolina law, effective October 1, 2025, prohibits mass balloon releases. The law aims to protect wildlife and the environment from the dangers of balloon litter. Several other states, ...

To Jenn Clementoni, the release of latex or plastic balloons to honor a loved one or mark an achievement is littering, plain and simple. Even if it's done in celebration, master naturalist and Harbor ...