[Geology2] Helium Shortage Threatens More Than Balloons

The nation's supply of helium is running out fast, and effects are widespread

By Michelle Valles and Daisy Lin | KNBC-TV Los Angeles

|  Friday, May 25, 2012  |  Updated 7:29 PM PDT

It's peak season for balloon shops, but with a helium shortage, business is deflating.

Shawn Agheassi, owner of Elegant Balloon in Studio City, says he is losing customers daily, and that business is down 50 percent.

"I'm surviving right now, but struggling," Agheassi said.

Agheassi is struggling with a dwindling supply of helium globally -- a problem that's affecting medical suppliers, television manufacturers -- and party businesses.

"Years ago it was like $30 to $40 a bottle. Now it's $168. Yes, a tank.  And I'm lucky if I get one or two,"  Agheassi said.

He says his helium suppliers are even getting out of the business.

"I was talking to the supplier and he was crying. He said, I have a million dollar business and I don't know what to do. I don't have helium to sell it," Agheassi said.

Helium is a natural byproduct of the decay of radioactive elements.

In 1996 Congress mandated that the federal government to sell off the gas from its underground reserve by the end of 2014. That's caused all sorts of problems. 

The problem is, now we are running out, possibly in eight years, and this ballooning crisis is affecting more than birthday parties and other celebrations. Helium is used in hospital MRI scanners and in flat-screen TVs.

And once it's out—it's out.

"Helium, like oil, is created by natural processes, but it's a very slow process," physicist Gregg Harry said. "So whatever is in the ground now is pretty much all that's available."

Source: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Helium-Shortage-Threatening-More-than-Supply-of-Balloons-154278575.html?_osource=Newsletter-Daily

--
Check out http://groups.yahoo.com/group/californiadisasters/
Read my blog at http://eclecticarcania.blogspot.com/
My Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/derkimster
Linkedin profile: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/kim-noyes/9/3a1/2b8
Follow me on Twitter @DisasterKim

__._,_.___

Your email settings: Individual Email|Traditional
Change settings via the Web (Yahoo! ID required)
Change settings via email: Switch delivery to Daily Digest | Switch to Fully Featured
Visit Your Group | Yahoo! Groups Terms of Use | Unsubscribe

__,_._,___