{"id":2112673,"date":"2026-08-25T05:11:44","date_gmt":"2026-08-25T02:11:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2112673"},"modified":"2026-08-25T05:11:44","modified_gmt":"2026-08-25T02:11:44","slug":"balloons-take-years-to-decompose-uk-researchers-invent-bioloon-as-nature-friendly-alternative","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2112673","title":{"rendered":"Balloons take years to decompose: UK researchers invent \u2018Bioloon\u2019 as nature-friendly alternative"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/66\/20\/1200x675_cmsv2_220d93c1-9f3c-5e00-8127-b91b5b728def-9886620.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2920494-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2920494\" data-cid=\"9888465\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920494-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/84\/65\/189x106_cmsv2_b43bd7f7-f9e7-5aba-8d11-5a7a310c8060-9888465.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Federal Reserve Board Chairman Kevin Warsh speaks during a news conference at the Federal Reserve in Washington, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Economy<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Warsh faces yields, a Treasury rescue and inflation at Jackson Hole\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920753-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2920753\" data-cid=\"9889914\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920753-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/95\/99\/189x106_cmsv2_22941609-0f65-5a35-a2ea-96181954140b-9889599.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Damaged houses stand precariously near the swollen, debris-choked banks of the Trishuli River after flash floods in Nepal&apos;s Nuwakot district on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Hundreds missing as flash floods tear through Nepal\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920766-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2920766\" data-cid=\"9890060\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920766-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/00\/60\/189x106_cmsv2_2d4db13d-a340-52f5-8ff9-a427afe5e8f4-9890060.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Packs of butter with different flavors are displayed in a refrigerator at Le Butter Shop, the first shop devoted entirely to butter in Paris, France\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Food and Drink<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Butter late than never: Paris gets its first boutique entirely dedicated to butter\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920718-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2920718\" data-cid=\"9889916\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920718-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/96\/83\/189x106_cmsv2_1fc69bcc-eafc-5802-b2b6-4985d65de836-9889683.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Thousands of people, gathered in Ceuta and monitored by the police\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Spain cuts estimate of minors in Ceuta to 1,500\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920494-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2920494\" data-cid=\"9888465\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920494-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/84\/65\/189x106_cmsv2_b43bd7f7-f9e7-5aba-8d11-5a7a310c8060-9888465.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Federal Reserve Board Chairman Kevin Warsh speaks during a news conference at the Federal Reserve in Washington, Wednesday, July 29, 2026. (AP Photo\/Mark Schiefelbein)\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Economy<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Warsh faces yields, a Treasury rescue and inflation at Jackson Hole\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920753-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2920753\" data-cid=\"9889914\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920753-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/95\/99\/189x106_cmsv2_22941609-0f65-5a35-a2ea-96181954140b-9889599.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Damaged houses stand precariously near the swollen, debris-choked banks of the Trishuli River after flash floods in Nepal&apos;s Nuwakot district on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Hundreds missing as flash floods tear through Nepal\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920766-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2920766\" data-cid=\"9890060\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920766-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/89\/00\/60\/189x106_cmsv2_2d4db13d-a340-52f5-8ff9-a427afe5e8f4-9890060.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Packs of butter with different flavors are displayed in a refrigerator at Le Butter Shop, the first shop devoted entirely to butter in Paris, France\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Food and Drink<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Butter late than never: Paris gets its first boutique entirely dedicated to butter\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920718-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2920718\" data-cid=\"9889916\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920718-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/96\/83\/189x106_cmsv2_1fc69bcc-eafc-5802-b2b6-4985d65de836-9889683.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Thousands of people, gathered in Ceuta and monitored by the police\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Spain cuts estimate of minors in Ceuta to 1,500\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Earth<\/p>\n<p>                          Earth News<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Balloons take years to decompose: UK researchers invent \u2018Bioloon\u2019 as nature-friendly alternative<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-controller=\"video-player\" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/66\/20\/1536x864_cmsv2_220d93c1-9f3c-5e00-8127-b91b5b728def-9886620.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Bioloon co-founders Charlotte Melia and Juliana Cumming \"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Bioloon co-founders Charlotte Melia and Juliana Cumming<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">Bioloon<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0Bioloon\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspRuth Wright&amp;nbspwith&amp;nbsp<b>AFP<\/b><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1787634704\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-08-25 07:11:44 +02:00\">25\/08\/2026 &#8211; 7:11 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay js-c-article-share-comment-popup-overlay u-display-none\">\n<div id=\"js-c-article-share-comment-popup\" class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup js-c-article-share-comment-popup\">\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__header u-display-flex\"><span>Share<\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/icon-close.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"Close Button\" class=\"u-cursor-pointer js-c-article-share-comment-close\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content u-display-flex\">\n<div id=\"share-comment-popup-content-container\" class=\"c-article-share-comment-popup__content__container u-display-flex\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-facebook.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"facebook\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-facebook.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"facebook\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-twitter.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"twitter\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-twitter.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"twitter\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-flipboard.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"flipboard\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Flipboard<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-flipboard.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"flipboard\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-send.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"send\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Send<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-send.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"send\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-reddit.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"reddit\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Reddit<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-reddit.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"reddit\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-linkedin.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"linkedin\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Linkedin<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-linkedin.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"linkedin\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-messenger.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"messenger\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Messenger<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-messenger.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"messenger\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-telegram.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"telegram\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Telegram<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-telegram.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"telegram\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-vk.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"vk\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>VK<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-vk.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"vk\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"bluesky\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Bluesky<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-bluesky.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"bluesky\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"threads\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Discarded balloons \u201cleak toxic chemicals into the environment&#8221; and can easily be swallowed by animals.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content c-article-content--earth js-article-content\">\n<p>A UK PhD student may have found the solution to a global problem &#8211; the deadly risk that discarded balloons pose to wildlife. <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>While they are a symbol of joy and celebration, balloons can be harmful and even lethal to marine life and birds when they end up on rubbish heaps, beaches and in the sea. <\/p>\n<p>A 2019 study by the University of Tasmania found balloons were &#8220;the highest-risk plastic debris item&#8221; for seabirds, 32 times more deadly than ingesting hard plastics.<\/p>\n<p>The \u2018Bioloon\u2019 hopes to solve that problem. The new invention is made from a material that biodegrades within nine months. <\/p>\n<p>Its inventors hope to be selling it by 2028 &#8211; and as an added bonus for those planning a shindig, the balloon inflates as easily as a conventional one.<\/p>\n<div class=\"widget widget--type-image widget--size-fullwidth widget--animation-fade-in widget--align-center\" data-ratio=\"0.6665\">\n<div class=\"widget__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"widget__ratio widget__ratio--auto\">\n<div class=\"widget__contents\">\n<figure class=\"widget__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"widgetImage__image\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/66\/20\/808x539_cmsv2_aea777d4-a030-5afc-92c6-f7d086ac01e7-9886620.jpg\" alt=\"Pink and purple bioloons \"><figcaption class=\"widget__caption\"><span class=\"widget__captionWrap\"><span class=\"widget__captionText\">Pink and purple bioloons <\/span><span class=\"widget__captionCredit\">Bioloon<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Bioloon: 100 per cent degradable balloon<\/h2>\n<p>&#8220;There were hundreds of trials. We had many, many failures,&#8221; admits Juliana Cumming, a PhD student at Imperial College London and co-creator of the \u2018Bioloon\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>In a university laboratory, the 29-year-old proudly showed the AFP news agency a flask containing a precious yellow liquid. Once solidified, it becomes a soft, elastic material with a texture comparable to that of a conventional balloon.<\/p>\n<p>But there is one crucial difference &#8211; it breaks down completely within nine months unlike traditional balloons, according to Cumming.<\/p>\n<p>The Bioloon is the result of a public-private partnership launched by Charlotte Melia, an events entrepreneur, who describes herself as environmentally minded. &#8220;I was a party planner for over 10 years and&#8230;I was very sustainably focused. The final stumbling block for me was the balloon waste,&#8221; she tells AFP. &#8220;We were putting out thousands of party balloons every single week,&#8221; she shares, but they were only there &#8220;for a matter of hours simply to be popped and thrown in the trash&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>The final straw came when she realised &#8220;balloons were non-biodegradable&#8221; even though the packaging said they would break up &#8220;at the rate of an oak leaf&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>Convinced that a sustainable alternative was possible, Melia decided with an associate to put up some \u00a330,000 (\u20ac35,000) to partly fund Cumming&#8217;s doctoral research.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id data-event=\"widget_related\">\n<div class=\"c-widget-related__title\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b><\/div>\n<ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">Batteries can save Europe\u2019s solar and wind power from being wasted. But are they a blackout risk?<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">Mysterious bacteria found in the Arctic can break down oil and diesel<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Balloons \u201cleak toxic chemicals into the environment&#8221;<\/h2>\n<p>Imperial College&#8217;s department of chemical engineering estimates that between 20 and 25 billion balloons are purchased worldwide every year but most buyers are unaware of the environmental impact of traditional balloons which, despite their advertising, do not degrade. A number of studies have documented the dangers posed by balloons once they end up in nature, particularly for marine life and birds.<\/p>\n<p>Cumming spent three years developing her formula. The starting point is the same as for an ordinary balloon: natural latex derived from the sap of the rubber tree, native to the Amazon &#8211; a basis which has changed very little since the balloon was invented in 1824.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In order to turn the natural latex into something that we refer to as rubber it goes through this process called sulphur vulcanisation,&#8221; she explains. That involves adding &#8220;sulphur accelerators, antioxidants, and activators into the material&#8221; which &#8220;prevents the biodegradation of balloons&#8221; and also leaks &#8220;toxic chemicals into the environment&#8221;.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id data-event=\"widget_related\">\n<div class=\"c-widget-related__title\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b><\/div>\n<ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">How chemicals from our laptops and TVs have ended up in the brains of dolphins and porpoises<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">&#8216;Not a dumping ground for the world&#8217;: Malaysia announces immediate ban on e-waste imports<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Condoms and clothing next?<\/h2>\n<p>It was this stage of the manufacturing process which became the focus of Cumming&#8217;s research. <\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Our balloon is still made with natural latex, but we blend it with another biodegradable polymer and we don&#8217;t add any of these additives that are used in traditional balloons,&#8221; she said.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;So this retains the biodegradability,&#8221; she added, declining to reveal further details of the patented process.<\/p>\n<p>According to the creators, the Bioloon breaks down regardless of where it ends up. The researchers &#8220;tested it in soil, seawater and deionised water\u201d. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt degraded in all of those conditions&#8230;and we estimate that it would biodegrade within about nine months,&#8221; explained Cumming.<\/p>\n<p>For Melia, the technology&#8217;s potential extends far beyond party decorations, and could be adapted for everyday and medical products, including household gloves, surgical gloves, latex clothing and condoms.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__container\">\n<article id=\"abe-2920442-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2920442\" data-cid=\"9888192\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920442-label-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/81\/92\/480x270_cmsv2_18d1e10c-80b5-59b7-90fe-6af9e7a461b7-9888192.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"This composite image of nine separate photographs captured in the duration of the 2017 eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Earth News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Wake up early for Friday\u2019s partial lunar eclipse: Where to see it<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920107-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2920107\" data-cid=\"9886474\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920107-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/64\/74\/480x270_cmsv2_7707a5bc-b586-569e-9576-8a6d60455263-9886474.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A scuba diver watches oceanic mantas at the Manta Ridge dive site in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Saturday, March 7, 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Earth News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    World&#8217;s oceans hit hottest temperature ever recorded in August<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920004-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2920004\" data-cid=\"9886010\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920004-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/58\/76\/480x270_cmsv2_15a8c4fc-937e-5347-b652-deb1ddd2fad1-9885876.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"This drop comes after an exceptional water deficit and several heatwaves, resulting in smaller tubers and sharply lower yields.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Earth News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Why France could run low on potatoes this autumn<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  wildlife<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Research<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Balloon<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Science<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Invention<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Sustainable innovation<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2920674-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920674\" data-cid=\"9889398\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920674-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/93\/98\/320x180_cmsv2_e700c7ab-56f4-58c5-a28a-64e2351e5101-9889398.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - Onion Portage, a critical migration route for the Western Arctic Caribou Herd along the Kobuk River near Ambler, Alaska, is visible, Sept. 30, 2025. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Are Arctic plants cooperating to survive a warming climate?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2920442-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920442\" data-cid=\"9888192\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920442-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/81\/92\/320x180_cmsv2_18d1e10c-80b5-59b7-90fe-6af9e7a461b7-9888192.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"This composite image of nine separate photographs captured in the duration of the 2017 eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Wake up early for Friday\u2019s partial lunar eclipse: Where to see it<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2919969-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2919969\" data-cid=\"9888041\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2919969-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/57\/02\/320x180_cmsv2_1a6e9dd3-66e9-5d34-a36d-3ac5e0d41e34-9885702.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Ash and charred trees in a forest after a fire in Carc\u00e8s, France, on Thursday 6 August 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    What role will climate play in France&#8217;s presidential race?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2920249-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920249\" data-cid=\"9887183\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920249-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/71\/67\/320x180_cmsv2_0c78363f-b5a6-5559-bbb4-6d342195e137-9887167.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A powerful tornado caused extensive damage in the Aude d\u00e9partement on Monday.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Tornado tears through village in south-west France<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2920107-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920107\" data-cid=\"9886474\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920107-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/64\/74\/320x180_cmsv2_7707a5bc-b586-569e-9576-8a6d60455263-9886474.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A scuba diver watches oceanic mantas at the Manta Ridge dive site in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Saturday, March 7, 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    World&#8217;s oceans hit hottest temperature ever recorded in August<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-2\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-most-viewed\">\n<h2 class=\"c-most-viewed__title qa-section-title\">Most read<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__list\">\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">1<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2920442-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920442\" data-cid=\"9888192\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Wake up early for Friday\u2019s partial lunar eclipse: Where to see it<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">2<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2919457-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2919457\" data-cid=\"9884381\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Squid take over the North Sea: What&#8217;s behind the squid boom?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">3<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2920249-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920249\" data-cid=\"9887183\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Tornado tears through village in south-west France<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">4<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2920142-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920142\" data-cid=\"9886620\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    \u2018Bioloon\u2019: UK scientists invent revolutionary biodegradable balloon<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">5<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2904659-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904659\" data-cid=\"9812247\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Tourists disappointed as Eiffel Tower closes amid heatwave<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-3\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920442-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2920442\" data-cid=\"9888192\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920442-label-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/81\/92\/480x270_cmsv2_18d1e10c-80b5-59b7-90fe-6af9e7a461b7-9888192.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"This composite image of nine separate photographs captured in the duration of the 2017 eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Earth News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Wake up early for Friday\u2019s partial lunar eclipse: Where to see it<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920107-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2920107\" data-cid=\"9886474\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920107-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/64\/74\/480x270_cmsv2_7707a5bc-b586-569e-9576-8a6d60455263-9886474.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A scuba diver watches oceanic mantas at the Manta Ridge dive site in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Saturday, March 7, 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Earth News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    World&#8217;s oceans hit hottest temperature ever recorded in August<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920004-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2920004\" data-cid=\"9886010\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920004-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/58\/76\/480x270_cmsv2_15a8c4fc-937e-5347-b652-deb1ddd2fad1-9885876.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"This drop comes after an exceptional water deficit and several heatwaves, resulting in smaller tubers and sharply lower yields.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Earth News<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Why France could run low on potatoes this autumn<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920674-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920674\" data-cid=\"9889398\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920674-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/93\/98\/320x180_cmsv2_e700c7ab-56f4-58c5-a28a-64e2351e5101-9889398.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE - Onion Portage, a critical migration route for the Western Arctic Caribou Herd along the Kobuk River near Ambler, Alaska, is visible, Sept. 30, 2025. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Are Arctic plants cooperating to survive a warming climate?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920442-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920442\" data-cid=\"9888192\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920442-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/81\/92\/320x180_cmsv2_18d1e10c-80b5-59b7-90fe-6af9e7a461b7-9888192.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"This composite image of nine separate photographs captured in the duration of the 2017 eclipse on Aug. 21, 2017. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Wake up early for Friday\u2019s partial lunar eclipse: Where to see it<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2919969-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2919969\" data-cid=\"9888041\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2919969-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/57\/02\/320x180_cmsv2_1a6e9dd3-66e9-5d34-a36d-3ac5e0d41e34-9885702.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Ash and charred trees in a forest after a fire in Carc\u00e8s, France, on Thursday 6 August 2026.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    What role will climate play in France&#8217;s presidential race?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920249-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920249\" data-cid=\"9887183\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920249-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/71\/67\/320x180_cmsv2_0c78363f-b5a6-5559-bbb4-6d342195e137-9887167.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A powerful tornado caused extensive damage in the Aude d\u00e9partement on Monday.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Tornado tears through village in south-west France<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920107-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920107\" data-cid=\"9886474\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2920107-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/64\/74\/320x180_cmsv2_7707a5bc-b586-569e-9576-8a6d60455263-9886474.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A scuba diver watches oceanic mantas at the Manta Ridge dive site in Raja Ampat, Indonesia, Saturday, March 7, 2026. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    World&#8217;s oceans hit hottest temperature ever recorded in August<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920442-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920442\" data-cid=\"9888192\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Wake up early for Friday\u2019s partial lunar eclipse: Where to see it<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2919457-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2919457\" data-cid=\"9884381\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Squid take over the North Sea: What&#8217;s behind the squid boom?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920249-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920249\" data-cid=\"9887183\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Tornado tears through village in south-west France<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2920142-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2920142\" data-cid=\"9886620\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    \u2018Bioloon\u2019: UK scientists invent revolutionary biodegradable balloon<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2904659-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2904659\" data-cid=\"9812247\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Tourists disappointed as Eiffel Tower closes amid heatwave<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">A UK PhD student may have found the solution to a global problem &#8211; the deadly risk that discarded balloons pose to wildlife.\u00a0While they are a symbol of joy and celebration, balloons can be harmful and even lethal to marine life and birds when they end up on rubbish heaps, beaches and in the sea.\u00a0A 2019 study by the University of Tasmania found balloons were &#8220;the highest-risk plastic debris item&#8221; for seabirds, 32 times more deadly than ingesting hard plastics.The \u2018Bioloon\u2019 hopes to solve that problem. The new invention is made from a material that biodegrades within nine months.Its inventors hope to be selling it by 2028 &#8211; and as an added bonus for those planning a shindig, the balloon inflates as easily as a conventional one.Bioloon: 100 per cent degradable balloon&#8221;There were hundreds of trials. We had many, many failures,&#8221; admits Juliana Cumming, a PhD student at Imperial College London and co-creator of the \u2018Bioloon\u2019.In a university laboratory, the 29-year-old proudly showed the AFP news agency a flask containing a precious yellow liquid. Once solidified, it becomes a soft, elastic material with a texture comparable to that of a conventional balloon.But there is one crucial difference &#8211; it breaks down completely within nine months unlike traditional balloons, according to Cumming.The Bioloon is the result of a public-private partnership launched by Charlotte Melia, an events entrepreneur, who describes herself as environmentally minded. &#8220;I was a party planner for over 10 years and&#8230;I was very sustainably focused. The final stumbling block for me was the balloon waste,&#8221; she tells AFP. &#8220;We were putting out thousands of party balloons every single week,&#8221; she shares, but they were only there &#8220;for a matter of hours simply to be popped and thrown in the trash&#8221;.The final straw came when she realised &#8220;balloons were non-biodegradable&#8221; even though the packaging said they would break up &#8220;at the rate of an oak leaf&#8221;.Convinced that a sustainable alternative was possible, Melia decided with an associate to put up some \u00a330,000 (\u20ac35,000) to partly fund Cumming&#8217;s doctoral research.Balloons \u201cleak toxic chemicals into the environment&#8221;Imperial College&#8217;s department of chemical engineering estimates that between 20 and 25 billion balloons are purchased worldwide every year but most buyers are unaware of the environmental impact of traditional balloons which, despite their advertising, do not degrade. A number of studies have documented the dangers posed by balloons once they end up in nature, particularly for marine life and birds.Cumming spent three years developing her formula. The starting point is the same as for an ordinary balloon: natural latex derived from the sap of the rubber tree, native to the Amazon &#8211; a basis which has changed very little since the balloon was invented in 1824.&#8221;In order to turn the natural latex into something that we refer to as rubber it goes through this process called sulphur vulcanisation,&#8221; she explains. That involves adding &#8220;sulphur accelerators, antioxidants, and activators into the material&#8221; which &#8220;prevents the biodegradation of balloons&#8221; and also leaks &#8220;toxic chemicals into the environment&#8221;.Condoms and clothing next?\u00a0It was this stage of the manufacturing process which became the focus of Cumming&#8217;s research.\u00a0&#8220;Our balloon is still made with natural latex, but we blend it with another biodegradable polymer and we don&#8217;t add any of these additives that are used in traditional balloons,&#8221; she said.&#8221;So this retains the biodegradability,&#8221; she added, declining to reveal further details of the patented process.According to the creators, the Bioloon breaks down regardless of where it ends up. The researchers &#8220;tested it in soil, seawater and deionised water\u201d.\u00a0\u201cIt degraded in all of those conditions&#8230;and we estimate that it would biodegrade within about nine months,&#8221; explained Cumming.For Melia, the technology&#8217;s potential extends far beyond party decorations, and could be adapted for everyday and medical products, including household gloves, surgical gloves, latex clothing and condoms.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/2026\/08\/25\/balloons-take-years-to-decompose-uk-researchers-invent-bioloon-as-nature-friendly-alternat&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/88\/66\/20\/1200x675_cmsv2_220d93c1-9f3c-5e00-8127-b91b5b728def-9886620.jpg&#8221;] Economy Warsh faces yields, a Treasury rescue and inflation at Jackson Hole No Comment Hundreds missing as flash floods tear through Nepal Food and Drink Butter late than never: Paris gets its first boutique entirely dedicated to butter Europe News Spain cuts estimate of minors in Ceuta to 1,500 Economy Warsh faces [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2112673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2112673","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2112673"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2112673\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2112673"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2112673"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2112673"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}