This item commonly used as a symbol of celebration has destructive impacts on the marine environment. Many animals fall victim to this litter through entanglement or ingestion. Latex and mylar are the most commonly used materials for balloons. Even though latex is a natural and biodegradable material, balloons utilize processed latex that is full of preservatives which causes it to take years to break down. Mylar is a synthetic nylon material with metallic coating and takes even longer to finally degrade.