People who hold balloon releases to memorialise lost loved ones should face harsher punishments, green campaigners say.
Though they've become a popular way to pay tribute to lost loved ones, balloon and lantern releases are banned on Newcastle council land over environmental concerns. But campaign group Save Newcastle Wildlife insists not enough is being done to stop them taking place in the city.
The group has launched a petition demanding tougher enforcement of the ban, with fines for anyone found taking part in a balloon release. They say harsher punishment should be accompanied by education about the dangers balloons and lanterns pose to animals and the environment.
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They've also asked Newcastle City Council to offer a greener alternative to allow people to commemorate loved ones, calling for the creation of memorial woods across the city where people could plant trees after a loss.
The group says that discarded balloons contribute to existing litter and take years to break down, releasing harmful chemicals and microplastics into the environment, both on land and at sea. They also may be eaten by animals or cause birds to get trapped, while flaming paper lanterns can cause wildfires or be mistaken for distress flares at sea.
Save Newcastle Wildlife’s Rachel Locke said: "People taking part in these events may not aware of the risks that balloon releases pose to wildlife and humans, nor of the existing bans in place in Newcastle.
“As balloon releases are often linked with emotional and tragic events, it can be difficult to have a conversation around the environmental harms. If people are aware of the harm from the outset, then we might one day see an end to these mass littering events.”
There have been calls for national legislation on the issue - in 2021, Redcar and Cleveland Council wrote to the government calling for a ban on sky lanterns while the RSPCA has also called for an outright ban. Although Newcastle is among a number of UK councils who've banned releases on their land, there's no national policy preventing releases across the board.
A spokesperson for Newcastle City Council said: "We banned people from releasing balloons and sky lanterns on council-owned land as they can cause serious injury to wildlife and farm animals. The animals may eat parts of the lanterns or deflated balloons when they come down on land or in the sea, which can cause choking and severe organ damage.
“They may get caught up in the string or wireframes which can cause injury and distress as the animals struggle to get free, or result in them getting trapped and starving to death. Sky lanterns are also a potential hazard as they can spark fires in crops, forests and buildings.
“There is currently no national legislation available to control this issue but we will continue to actively encourage people to choose alternative ways to mark special occasions and memorials such as using kites or holding candlelit vigils."
The petition can be found at: https://www.change.org/p/enforce-balloon-sky-lantern-release-bans-in-newcastle
