Safety tip for graduates reminding them that some balloons cause serious problems

It's that time of year again, with plenty of people congratulating graduates with balloons. 

However, some of those balloons can cause serious problems. 

In the first four months of 2023, metallic balloons striking electric lines have caused 91 power outages in PG&E's service area and disrupted service to more than 35,000 customers. 

Those are the numbers before the peak graduation season. 

What makes this type of balloons so dangerous when they're set free into the air? 

Their silvery coating is a conductor for electricity, and as it comes into contact with power lines, it can short transformers. This leads to outages and melted wires.

The advise is to keep them indoors and never remove the weight that is used to keep them from floating away. 

If you lost one and it gets caught in a power line, don't even think about retrieving it. 

California has outlawed this type of balloons and in five years, the state will begin phasing out the sales. By 2031, metallic or mylar balloons will be considered illegal contraband.