The National Farmers Union call for a total ban of sky lanterns
In rural areas such as Lincolnshire lanterns pose a risk of wildfires, and a potential harm to wildlife
As temperatures begin to rise again, with much of Lincolnshire and Newark in an amber warning of extreme heat, the call for a total ban of sky lanterns has been made by the National Farmers Union.
The threat posed by sky lanterns is greater during the summer months according to the Union. As the weather becomes warmer and drier, the risk of wildfires increase, and as more animals live out in the fields the potential to eating fallen lanterns rises.
With more than 60,000 signatures since May, a petition set up by the Union is striving for a safer, cleaner and greener countryside.
The Lincolnshire County Advisor, Rhonda Thompson, spoke passionately about the subject:
"It's an unnecessary hazard, like portable barbecues, you know, it's something you can take into the countryside, or will end up in the countryside. It's not only a danger to crops, it's a danger to grassland, hedges, trees, wildlife, people's homes, farm buildings and also a potential threat to life."
Every year up to 200,000 sky lanterns are released in the UK, and farmers express these objects pose a threat to their farm businesses and the safe running of their farms.
Currently 185 councils out of 333 across England and Wales have voluntarily banned sky lanterns, but there is still no national legislation to enforce the ban.
Rhonda Thompson continued to say:
"Everywhere is as dry as tinder at the moment."
"You've only got to drive around this wonderful county of ours, to see, everywhere is dry: the crops are really dry standing in the fields, any areas of grass you see, amenity grass, in people's gardens. Everything is tinder dry including trees, hedges… everything."
Other countries, including Germany, Austria and Brazil have a total ban, considering the release of sky lanterns to be an environmental crime due to the harm they cause animals, habitats and the countryside.