For additional information about the impact of balloon debris, please see the following links:

Chappell, C. (2019, June 21). The worldwide helium shortage affects everything from MRIs to rockets - here's why.  CNBC.

Cosmos. (2016, November 10). Plastic in the ocean smells delicious to seabirds. 

Crossley, L. (2013, March 2). Incredible 10,545 mile journey of balloon launched by British boy, 6, is revealed after it lands in Australia. Daily Mail.

CSIRO Australia. (2015, August 31). Plastic in 99 percent of seabirds by 2050. 

Hope, K. (2019, September 16). Helium shortage: 'Prices just keep going up'. BBC News.

Hopkins, E. (2019, May 23). Indy 500 balloon release: IMS says the balloons are biodegradable. We tested them. Indianapolis Star.

Kilvert, N. (2019, March 1). Balloons found to be the deadliest marine plastic for seabirds. ABC Science News.

McGrath, M. (2018, September 13). A ‘single piece of plastic’ can kill sea turtles, study says.  BBC News.

Morrow, A. (2018, August 29). Balloon pollution dangerous for farm animals and wildlife. KING 5 News.

NOAA Fisheries, West Coast Region. (2018, June). Well-meaning balloons turn into deadly trash in the water.

Ocean Conservancy. (2012, August 29). High-flying Balloons Pose a Definite Downside for Ocean Wildlife. Ocean Currents Blog.

Roman, L. et al. (2019, March 1). A quantitative analysis linking seabird mortality and marine debris ingestion. Scientific Reports.

Schuyler, Q. et al. (2012, July 19). To Eat or Not to Eat? Debris Selectivity by Marine Turtles. PLoS ONE.

Shepherd, M. (2019, May 28). Why the Balloon Release Tradition is Terrible for the Environment. Forbes.

Trapani, C. et al. (2018, August). Balloon Litter on Virginia's Remote Beaches. Longwood University.

USFW. (2015, August 15). Balloons and Wildlife: Please Don’t Release Your Balloons. 

Warfield, K. (2018, May 4). Here’s what really happens when you let go of a balloon. The Dodo.

Witmer, V., Register, K., & McKay, L. (2017). Balloon Release Research in Virginia and Reducing
Balloon Debris through Community-Based Social Marketing. Virginia Coastal Zone Management
Program (Virginia Department of Environmental Quality).

Witsil, F. (2019, May 8). Global helium shortage is a growing threat to graduation parties and scientific research. Detroit Free Press.

WUR. (2013, April 15).  5 facts about balloon debris.