Weather balloons, used globally to collect critical atmospheric data, often pose deadly risks to marine wildlife after they burst, with latex and strings entangling animals like birds and turtles.
Danielle Beurteaux reports for Hakai Magazine.
In short:
- Each year, over 100,000 weather balloons are launched globally, often ending up as marine debris.
- Balloon fragments entangle marine animals, sometimes causing severe injury or death, though the overall impact is not fully known.
- Some agencies are testing biodegradable balloons and other sustainable technologies to reduce harm to wildlife.
Key quote:
"We have essentially no clue about what it does at the population level."
— Jennifer Provencher, Carleton University professor
Why this matters:
Weather balloons are essential for forecasting but leave behind harmful debris. As the waste accumulates, it increasingly threatens ocean ecosystems, harming vulnerable species and disrupting marine life.
Related: The sad, ugly fate of our plastic trash in the ocean
