Government Response

The Government responded to this petition on Monday 30th October 2017

The Government considers the current regulatory regime, supported by existing information and guidance, effective and proportionate.

In 2013, the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Welsh Government jointly commissioned an independent study on balloons and sky lanterns to identify and assess their impacts and risks to livestock and the environment. It is published here:
http://sciencesearch.defra.gov.uk/Default.aspx?Menu=Menu&Module=More&Location=None&Completed=0&ProjectID=18402. The report concluded that the risk of injury and death to cattle and impact on the environment is low. Despite this, we are aware of the ongoing concerns among livestock keepers, the wider agricultural community and others about the potential risks posed by balloons. We continue working with the agricultural industry to address those concerns.

Where a council has experienced anti-social issues in relation to the matter within their local communities, and legislation or local measures through which the issue could be addressed does not exist, there is a ‘model' byelaw, produced by the Department for Communities and Local Government, to help those councils wanting to regulate the release of sky lanterns on council-owned land.

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute has published a code of practice for sky lanterns, which aims to provide guidance for manufacturers, importers, and retailers. Local authority Trading Standards enforce the relevant regulations and have taken action to remove lanterns from the market if they think they do not meet the safety requirements. Some large retailers no longer sell sky lanterns, and some venues outlaw their release on their premises.

The Government considers the current regulatory regime, supported by existing information and guidance, effective and proportionate.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs