We are calling on Bath and North East Somerset Council to ban the release of sky lanterns.

Sky lanterns are highly dangerous in several ways:

• There is a risk to animals and livestock - frames can contaminate forage crops which are later fed to the animals. The frames of sky lanterns can harm or even kill farm animals and other wildlife if they are eaten. Animals can get tangled or injured from the sharp wire frames, and bamboo framed lanterns can splinter causing serious injuries if ingested.
• Sky lanterns can be a major fire risk – once lit and set off into the sky you don't know where an ignited lantern will land. Fields of standing crops, hay and straw stacks, farm buildings and thatched roofs are all at significant risk of being set alight.
• They often cause a false alarm - the Coastguard has reported incidents of sky lanterns being mistaken for distress signals and the Civil Aviation Authority are concerned with airborne lanterns being drawn into aircraft engines. They can also delay take-off and landing.
• And lastly, they are a litter nuisance - farmers and other land owners have to clear up the remnants of sky lanterns from their fields.

Twenty five councils in England have already banned sky lanterns, as have the majority of Wales’ 22 local authorities.

North East Somerset Labour Party is now calling on Bath and North East Somerset council to do the same and to protect the residents, animals and environment of B&NES.

Info taken from Farming UK: http://bit.ly/2eOZJMP