Local bird rehab group urges county‑wide limits on balloon releases to protect wildlife

Jen Clementoni, director of the Carolina Bight Birding Center, told the regional meeting that balloon releases are a recurring source of litter and harm to birds, sea turtles and marine life and urged jurisdictions to adopt ordinances and outreach to discourage releases.

Clementoni said her organization is building an intake and triage center to treat injured birds and described multiple examples of wildlife entanglement and ingestion. She cited beach‑cleanup reporting that showed Beaufort County among the highest in balloon‑related trash in the Charleston–Berkeley–Beaufort area in 2024 and said the city of Beaufort’s ordinance restricting releases from city property produced net positive public response online.

Why it matters: Clementoni framed balloon releases as avoidable litter that damages wildlife, threatens small‑scale commercial uses (boat tours, fisheries) and can cause power outages; she positioned outreach and voluntary alternatives (bubbles, memory gardens, scholarships, signage at retail outlets) as practical first steps.

Local reaction and next steps: A board member noted that the City of Beaufort adjusted an existing ordinance to restrict balloon releases on city property and shared that text with other jurisdictions. Grant McClure of the Coastal Conservation League commended the effort and asked county leaders to consider aligning anti‑litter and plastic‑waste policies to include balloons as part of broader waste reduction work.

Clementoni: “What goes up must come down,” she said, summarizing the environmental risk and urging education rather than consumer bans. She offered to present the group’s materials to municipalities and community groups as jurisdictions consider drafting or adapting local ordinances.

The board asked staff to circulate the Beaufort ordinance to other jurisdictions for consideration and to invite Clementoni to present to municipalities.