According to Western Mass News, a bill which would ban the sale and distribution of all balloons is under consideration by Massachusetts lawmakers.

Introduced by State Rep. Sarah Peake, the bill was presented at the State House Tuesday.

The proposed bill would prohibit the sale of any balloons, including, but not limited to “plastic, latex or mylar, filled with any type of lighter than air gas, both for public or private use.”  The ban would also apply to the release of such balloons into the sky.   The fine for violating the ban would be up to $100.

Environmentalists said that balloons can be deadly when they are released into the air because pieces fall back to earth and are eaten by birds and turtles and they have said creatures can also get tangled in the strings.

Read the full bill below:

SECTION 1. Chapter 131 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2016 official edition, is hereby amended by adding the following new section:

 

Section 119. The sale, distribution and release of any type of balloon, including, but not limited to, plastic, latex or mylar, filled with any type of lighter than air gas, both for public or private use, is hereby prohibited. Whoever violates any provision of this section shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars.

 

The provisions of this section shall not apply to (i) balloons released by or on behalf of any agency of the commonwealth or the United States for scientific or meteorological purposes, or (ii) hot air balloons that are recovered after launch.

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