UPDATE:

MAYOR Paul Pisasale has revealed council will consider making the release of helium balloons illegal in Ipswich.

In a recent statement the mayor confirmed council was working closely with the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection "to make sure we get it right for the future".

"We want to work with the state government to make sure the release of helium balloons is banned not only across our city, but right across the state," he said.

"While we already have a ban on the release of helium balloons at council run events, we will be looking at legal options for expanding this ban to include other events in the city."

The topic will be discussed at the next Health and Community Safety Committee meeting on January 24.

The next full council meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 31.

Luise Manning of Springfield Lakes handing over her collection of balloons and strings and batteries to Cr Sheila Ireland.

EARLIER:

AN IPSWICH environmentalist is calling on council to officially ban helium balloon releases as soon as possible.

In 2011, Sunshine Coast Regional Council voted to make it illegal to release helium balloons anywhere on the coast.

Now local environmentalist and concerned parent Luise Manning wants Ipswich City Council to follow their lead.

"I hope in the State Government will get onto this but for now I want Ipswich council to ban it here. Council has the ability to act quickly," she said.

"There is no need to release helium balloons - there are plenty of alternatives like bubbles or butterfly releases."

RELATED: Group apologises for battery-filled balloon release

The call to ban helium balloons comes after ICON Community Inc released about 300 balloons filled with light up button batteries on New Year's Eve.

The popped balloons and small batteries have been found all over the region.

Ms Manning handed evidence, including photos of where the balloons were found, remnants of the plastic and ribbon and button batteries, over to Ipswich City Council this morning.

Saturday night saw about 300 balloons released into the air, all containing small batteries.

Council will pass it onto the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection who revealed they were investigating the New Year's Eve balloon release.

Cr Ireland, the Chairperson of the Health and Community Safety Committee, said council would not be imposing any fines on ICON Community Inc now that the investigation was in the hands of the state government.

"The mayor has already committed to banning helium balloons at (council funded) events and at any private event held on Ipswich City Council land," she said.

Ms Manning said she warned ICON not to the release the balloons prior to the event but was ignored.

"If a dog dies or a kid is hospitalised (organisers) can't say they didn't know," she said.

"You can't say it's an honest mistake. They should have done their research.

"I found the balloons in trees, in the centre of Robelle and in the creek bed. The lights in them are still flashing."

Residents have found balloons and the light up batteries that were inside them as far as Booval, Brassall and even farmland near West Moreton Anglican College - more than 35 kilometres away.

Karrabin cattle breeder Fred Burnham said he has found three balloons which could have seen thousands of dollars' worth of cattle injured or killed.

"It blew me away how far they've travelled," he said.

"If our cattle were to have a go at (the balloons) it would've killed them."

The Ipswich property owner said the two tanks which his family sourced their water from could have also been affected by the small batteries which were scattered throughout his land.

Mr Burnham said he will continue to search his 26 acre property for the potentially deadly remnants of plastic and batteries.

"I'm sure there will be more in the paddocks," he said.

"I feel for the people who did it, it was a silly thing to do but they thought they were doing the right thing.

"Personally I don't think any helium balloons should be released into the atmosphere. If you litter out of a car window you get a fine - there is really no difference."

ICON director Tina Vaka apologised earlier this week and confirmed the balloon release will not be repeated at next year's event.

"My hope now is that we get a dedicated environmental group in Ipswich to prevent things like this happening in the future. Bendigo Bank has already donated $500 to help with incorporated fees," Ms Manning said.

"One person can make a whisper, a couple can have a voice but an incorporated group can get funding and create change," she said.

Ms Manning is holding a public meeting at Cr Sheila Ireland's office at Orion Springfield on January 9 at 7pm to gauge interest for the group.