Don’t Let a Balloon Ruin the Day

Mylar balloons, often used for celebrations, pose a significant risk when they come into contact with power lines.

Mylar balloons have a metallic coating that conducts electricity. They can cause an outage or severe injury when they touch a power line or electrical equipment in a substation. To reduce the risk of outages and injuries, please remember these safety tips:

• Never touch a power line or a balloon entangled in a power line. Call Central Lincoln at (877) 265-3211 to report it so our crews can remove it safely.
• Keep Mylar balloons inside. If you must have them outside, please don't release them and keep them away from power lines and substations.
• Never hold a Mylar balloon during a storm.
• Secure balloons with weights heavy enough to keep them from floating away.

Mylar balloons can stay inflated for over two weeks-please dispose of them properly by puncturing them to release any remaining helium. Regardless of what they are made of, most balloons are generally considered unrecyclable and likely belong in a regular trash receptacle. Please check with your local sanitation company to be sure.