A Maryland county has voted to ban the release of environmentally harmful helium balloons.
WBAL reports that on Tuesday, Queen Anne's County commissioners unanimously passed an ordinance that prohibits the release of nonbiodegradable helium balloons into the air.
Those who deliberately violate the ordinance can be fined up to $250.
Queen Anne's Conservation Association Director Jay Falstad told WBAL the balloons pose an environmental threat. He said they can get stuck in trees, in the Chesapeake Bay or in off-shore clusters in the Atlantic Ocean.
The bill's author, Commissioner Christopher M. Corchiarino, called intentionally releasing balloons into the atmosphere littering.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
