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 UK researchers.
A global symbol of celebration, the humble balloon has gained a green makeover thanks to UK researchers. At Imperial College London, scientists have created the first fully biodegradable balloon, the Bioloon, with the aim of bringing it to market within two years. Juliana Cumming, a PhD student and co-creator of the Bioloon, shared that their 100% biodegradable balloon is the result of numerous trials involving many failures.
The Bioloon is made of a soft, elastic material that breaks down completely within nine months, unlike traditional balloons that can take centuries to decompose.
The inspiration for the Bioloon came from Charlotte Melia, an environmentally-conscious events entrepreneur. As a former party planner, she was deeply concerned about the environmental impact of balloon waste, which was thrown away after just a few hours. Melia invested £30,000 (US$41,000) into funding Cumming's doctoral research to develop a sustainable alternative to traditional balloons.
Traditional balloons, despite being advertised as biodegradable, do not break down and pose a significant threat to marine life and birds. A 2019 study by the University of Tasmania found that balloons are the highest-risk plastic debris item for seabirds, with a mortality risk 32 times higher than ingesting hard plastics. Imperial College's chemical engineering department estimates that 20-25 billion balloons are purchased worldwide every year.
The Bioloon is made from natural latex derived from the rubber tree, just like conventional balloons. However, Cumming blended it with another biodegradable polymer and omitted the additives used in traditional balloons to maintain its biodegradability. The researchers tested the Bioloon in soil, seawater, and deionised water, and it degraded in all conditions within about nine months.
The balloon inflates easily, just like its conventional counterpart, making it suitable for everyday use and medical products such as gloves, surgical gloves, clothing, and condoms.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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