Around 5,000 calls are made to us about animals and litter every year, that's an average of 14 calls a day.

Sky lanterns

Open flame on a Chinese lantern © Canva

Also known as paper or Chinese lanterns, sky lanterns are a danger to wildlife. Although they're banned in Wales, it's still legal to release paper lanterns in England.

An estimated 200,000 sky lanterns are sold and released each year in the UK. As the popularity of these items increase, so does the risk to wildlife. Sky lanterns can cause injury and suffering to animals and have a devastating impact on the environment.

There have been reports of animals becoming entangled in these lanterns and becoming injured trying to free themselves, which will cause extreme stress and suffering. 

A fire hazard to animals and the countryside

Sky lanterns also have a open flame to help them fly, which is a fire hazard to wildlife and can damage their habitats and the environment. During the dry summer months, this risk is increased as it's easier for grass and countryside to catch fire.

Balloon releases

Many balloons are released each year and although they make an impressive sight, when they land they pose a danger to animals and become litter.

In recent years there has been a great increase in the amount of balloon litter. Balloons are often mistaken for food by both land and marine animals, posing a big choking hazard for them. The strings and ribbons that are tied to balloons are also a threat and can cause animals, especially birds, to get tangled up in them.

The impact that balloons can have on animals can often be fatal.

Counter-arguments suggest the use of biodegradable balloons and lanterns are a safe alternative, however, this waste is still a risk to animals and can take decades to degrade.

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