Council ban sky lanterns

Potential danger

South Lanarkshire Council has banned any releases of balloons or sky lanterns.

The local authority cited evidence that the releases are harmful to the environment and potentially dangerous for people, animals and property as they approved the ban at an executive committee meeting last week.

Such releases have proved increasingly popular in recent years, often as tributes to people, particularly children and young adults, who have lost their lives.

South Lanarkshire Council leader Councillor John Ross said: “Balloon releases and sky lanterns may seem like a fun way to add a bit of extra magic to a celebration but with the combination of pollution, littering and harm to people, animals and property we have a responsibility to introduce these controls.

“South Lanarkshire is not unique in this, more than 70 UK councils and numerous authorities in other countries have already introduced similar bans.”

Balloons, plastic parts, wire and ribbons can all be eaten by animals causing a risk of choking or internal damage, in addition they can get mixed together with grass cut for silage which is then fed to livestock.

Sky lanterns pose a further risk as a fire hazard with the potential to spark fires in crops, heath, moorland, forestry and buildings. Additionally, they can also cause injury to people and animals.

The council’s policy relates only to the deliberate release of sky lanterns and helium balloons and the mass release of balloons.