CAPE HATTERAS, N.C. — Hazardous balloons are popping up more frequently on North Carolina’s beaches.
That’s according to officials with the Cape Hatters National Seashore. They say the number of balloons doubled in 2023.
Last year, nearly 1,800 balloons were collected from beaches along the North Carolina coast.
Officials say the balloons are potentially dangerous to wildlife. Once the balloons break down, fish and animals mistake them for food and eat them, which causes illness or potentially death.
While our neighbors to the north in Virginia have banned balloon releases because of their effect on wildlife, North Carolina doesn’t have a law against balloon releases.
(WATCH: Balloon releases can be harmful to wildlife, environmental advocates say)
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