Balloon releases are becoming very popular for memorial and funeral services.  Often a card is tied to the string with a personal message on it and released along with the balloon.  For balloon releases we offer latex balloons which are biodegradable and instead of the typical curling ribbon we offer 100 per cent cotton string which is also biodegradable.  We use Qualatex brand latex balloons they are made from a 100 per cent natural substance that breaks down both in sunlight and water and should never be confused with plastic. The degradation process begins almost immediately after a balloon is manufactured. Oxidation, the "frosting" that makes latex balloons look as if they are losing their colour, is one of the first signs of the process. Exposure to sunlight quickens the process, but natural microorganisms attack natural rubber, even in the dark.

Research shows that under similar environmental conditions, latex balloons will biodegrade at about the same rate as a leaf from an oak tree. The actual total degradation time will vary depending on the precise conditions.

Noah Lichtman, spokesman for The Balloon Council, a lobbying group based in Trenton and Washington, D.C., said that properly releasing latex balloons is "a moving and safe use for a memorial commemoration."

"Latex balloons are a fully biodegradable, 100 percent natural product made from the milky sap of a rubber tree," he wrote in an email.

Lichtman said The Balloon Council has developed standards for balloon releases in order to minimize their impact on the environment, including the use of self-tied, biodegradable balloons without attachments. He added that when a balloon is properly released into the atmosphere, most rise approximately five miles until the cold air causes them to burst into countless small pieces.

For more information about latex balloons and balloon releases visit:

http://www.balloonhq.com/faq/deco_releases/release_study.html

http://www.nabas.co.uk/about-balloons/

http://www.balloonboutique.com.au/environmental.html