Angus has imposed a Chinese lantern and helium balloon ban, despite one councillor’s attempt to float a free-for-all approach.
Balloon and sky lantern releases at public events across the county are now prohibited by a new civic licensing condition.
The move followed a report recommendation from officials, highlighting growing concerns about the hazards posed by Chinese lanterns and helium-filled balloons.
Councillor Alex King, convener of the civic licensing committee and vice-chairman of Angus licensing board which both unanimously approved the ban said while the mass release of balloons and lanterns can look impressive, they create significant environmental hazards.
“Balloon and lantern releases at fundraising and celebratory events have been on the increase but there is quite literally a significant downside to their use what goes up must come down,” he said.
“The fallen detritus from these balloons and lanterns not only litters the countryside, it is hazardous to wildlife and livestock, and can injure people and damage buildings.”
However, Arbroath councillor David Fairweather felt the move was not merited.
“There are 433 principal authorities across the UK and only 24 have brought in a ban, with just four in Scotland. I think this is a step too far and I move that we don’t do this,” he said.
But fellow Arbroath councillor Bob Spink said: “I take entirely the opposite view. It beggars belief that we should allow potentially dangerous situations to arise with the release of these things.
“They can cause all sorts of damage and the situation is totally out of control.”
Forfar councillor Lynne Devine said: “I think we need to be completely precautionary about this. There is the risk to wildlife and the problems of animals ingesting balloons, and we have a lot of farmland so there is a danger of lanterns falling on that.”
The ban may soon be taken further when the communities committee considers a report on balloon and lantern releases on council-owned land and at authority-supported events on non-council land.