CHARLOTTE, N.C. — In the summertime, there tend to be more outdoor parties and gatherings with fun decorations like balloons.
More and more states are putting stricter laws in place when it comes to balloon releases. But how does North Carolina compare?
Several states have laws on the books that make releasing balloons illegal citing pollution and damage to wildlife. VERIFY viewer Betty B. emailed a question about balloon releases, asking: "Since littering is illegal, aren't balloon releases illegal?"
THE QUESTION
Is it illegal to release balloons in Charlotte?
OUR SOURCES
THE ANSWER
No, balloon releases are not illegal in Charlotte.
WHAT WE FOUND
The city of Charlotte said in an email that "There are no city ordinances mentioning balloon releases one way or the other."
However, Charlotte Code Enforcement said it's possible there's a state or federal law that could be in place on that.
As far as balloon releases in North Carolina, WCNC Charlotte found Wrightsville Beach does have an ordinance in place making it illegal to release balloons on town property, beachfront, and waters surrounding the town.
Currently, 10 states have laws that prohibit either large balloon releases or single balloon releases nationwide. North Carolina is not one of them.
When it comes to federal laws, the FAA does have rules and regulations on when hot air balloons can be flown, but no federal laws surrounding balloon releases.
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