Blowing in the wind, humble balloon gets green makeover
A global symbol of parties and celebrations but an environmental headache, the humble balloon is undergoing a green revolution thanks to U.K. researchers.
The humble balloon, once a staple of celebrations, has been transformed into a green alternative thanks to research at Imperial College London. Researchers have developed the first fully biodegradable balloon, named the Bioloon, which is expected to hit the market within two years. The team, led by Ph.D. student Juliana Cumming, has spent three years perfecting the formula, which is made from natural latex but without the harmful vulcanization additives found in conventional balloons.
These additives, which prevent the biodegradation of traditional balloons and leak toxic chemicals, are absent in the Bioloon. The balloon, which can be inflated just like a regular one, has been tested and found to degrade within nine months in various environments, including soil, seawater, and deionized water. The Bioloon is the result of a public-private partnership, with funding provided by environmentally conscious events entrepreneur Charlotte Melia, who was frustrated by the significant waste generated by balloon use.
The environmental impact of traditional balloons, despite their non-biodegradable nature, is largely unknown to the public, but studies have shown that balloons pose a high risk to marine life and birds. The creators of the Bioloon hope their invention will not only reduce balloon waste but could also be adapted for various everyday and medical products.
Written by urgent.news from Phys.org's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
