Sunday, June 15, 2025
When Cynthia Seibold founded Balloon Mission, a nonprofit organization dedicated to balloon waste and environmental education in January 2023, she never could’ve imagined how much the organization would grow in just over two-and-a-half years.
Through partnerships with fellow organizations — big and small — dozens of libraries around Long Island and environmental groups, Balloon Mission has collected and recycled nearly 55,000 balloons and counting on Long Island and in Queens.
In an interview on the heels of the height of the coronavirus pandemic, she explained that she spent a lot of time outdoors, and among all of the litter in various parks, preserves and beaches, one item stood out: balloons. She found and collected their strings and whatever was left of their plastic or rubber bodies, impacting trees, plants, and of course, wildlife — animals that could easily mistake balloon pieces for food.
The pandemic, she said, created a surge of helium-intensive events, as people found different ways to share birthdays, graduations, and retirements, among other celebrations.
“Balloons are a leading cause of pollution in our waters and our air,” she said. “They break down into microplastics and nano plastics. I kept saying to myself, ‘There has to be a better way.”
So, she founded Balloon Mission.
Since the nonprofit’s 2024 launch with area school districts, Balloon Mission has experienced tremendous growth and success. As the first organization dedicated to balloon collection in the U.S., its reach has stretched to eight states and led to partnerships with eco-conscious balloon sellers, artists, decorators and more.
But people are still releasing balloons, Seibold said, as a way to memorialize loved ones. Intentional balloon releases have prompted Balloon Mission to take legislative action in various New York municipalities and beyond. While Seibold said she understands why people want to release balloons, a part of the nonprofit’s work is rooted in offering alternative way to celebrate, with things like bubbles or butterfly releases. Thanks to Balloon Mission’s advocacy, “No Balloon Release Signs” are posted at Town of Hempstead beaches and the Norman J. Levy Park and Preserve.
“We can’t stop an intentional balloon release from happening when it’s happening, because people are having a moment,” she said. “But similar to our collection program, we want to get in front of this problem so that we create these alternative procedures — alternative traditions to protect the environment, wildlife, and animals.
“We shouldn’t have to have these no balloon release laws,” she added. “But it’s about being symbolic — that any type of litter, even balloons, should be illegal. We want to protect our planet. It’s just a very good way to change behavior and create new, modern traditions around how we honor loved ones, how we celebrate.”
Over 70 organizations on Long island, including schools, libraries, PSEG Long Island, Reworld, the Town of Huntington, the Town of Babylon, the Long Island Children’s Museum and nature centers, have said “yes” to keeping Balloon litter out of the environment by volunteering to be part of the collection program. Currently, there’s collection bins in East Meadow and Bellmore-Merrick’s libraries, as well as in area schools.
“It’s OK to enjoy balloons,” Seibold said. “We like to say, ‘Once the fun is done, Pop-N-Drop all deflated balloons, ribbons and materials into our bin, and we’ll see them safely disposed.”
And for those wondering if unsafe ballooning practices are actually an issue on Long Island, Seibold says it is — and she has the data to prove it. Since 2018, the state’s Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, have led biannual volunteer beach clean-ups and balloon surveys at Jones Beach State Park in Wantagh. Between 2018 and 2024, over 1,520 balloon materials consisting of latex, foil, and ribbons have been collected in the same 1-by-1 mile radius. The highest number was in the spring of 2022, when 221 balloon materials and 16 ribbons were retrieved.
“The survey data is important,” she said, “as it proves that balloon litter is a persistent and troubling problem here on Long Island.”
This year, Balloon Mission is partnering with the Rhode Island-based DEEP Apparel, a clothing brand designed for outdoor enthusiasts. The company created a challenge and a unique way to incentivize balloon collections — if you’re on the water, at a beach, park, or other location and find a balloon, pick it up and take a photo of yourself with it. Post it on social media, including the location and state it was found in, and use the hashtag, “deepballoonchallenge” while tagging @DeepApparel and @Balloon.Mission. Whoever recovers and documents the most balloons by the end of 2025 wins a grand prize, featuring a premium gift card package and apparel from DEEP, among other brands that have signed on to support the cause.
“What we love about this is we’re shining a light on a little-known problem,” Seibold said, “and incentivizing people to do the right thing with a contest — and some pretty cool prizes.”
As Balloon Mission embarks on its third, year, Seibold said she’s focusing on expanding the nonprofit’s board and looking into creative ways to fundraise.
“I’m focusing less on getting balloon bins out in the community — people are coming to us now,” she said. “This year, year three, is about working on expanding our board, fundraising to keep Balloon Mission going. In order for us to keep the lights on, we really need to come up with diversified income streams, sponsorships. So, we’re really looking for sponsorship support right now in order to keep going.”
To learn about local events, how to donate, other ways to get involved, and a list of nearby balloon bins filtered by zip code, visit BalloonMission.org.
