11/04/2024
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Having read the article in a recent edition of PGBuzz and on the Thortful socials regarding the decision of Pep Haywood and Thortful not to offer helium balloons, we feel obligated to respond to this misinformation. While it is good news that they are leaving the balloons to the professionals who are very environmentally responsible, it is very sad when a large company decide to attack another industry without thoroughly researching first. It is clear that they are simply trying to grab the headlines to highlight their business.
The following is information supplied by BOC Gases, part of one of the worlds largest gas companies:
It’s important to be aware that there is a distinction between pure, liquid helium and impure, gaseous helium. Industrial gas suppliers prioritise supplies of pure, liquid helium for critical medical uses such as MRI scanners in hospitals, ensuring that they can remain fully operational.
Helium for balloons is a different product. It is impure and gaseous and produced as a by-product of supplying liquid helium for the MRI market – a market that makes up a high percentage of the helium sold in the UK. Impure, gaseous helium cannot be used directly in medical MRI scanners or in other applications that use superconducting magnets.
Industrial gas suppliers do support the recovery and reprocessing of helium to ensure that every opportunity is taken to recycle and reuse this important resource. Investments are being made globally to bring various new sources of helium on-stream, and ensuring that helium, for all uses, will be available for the foreseeable future.
Hopefully this helps to clarify the situation and will stop the scaremongering for a while and allow us all to get back to doing what we do best.
