Sky Lantern plans should be shelved warn Greens
Plans to launch sky lanterns this weekend should be shelved for health and safety reasons, the Scottish Greens have said.
The lanterns, which use a naked flame to lift a paper frame into the sky, are being promoted on social media for a mass-release this weekend, but the National Farmer’s Union Scotland have warned this will create a major fire risk and add to pressure on emergency services.
Greens back NFUS calls for a permanent ban on the lanterns, which can cause wildfires and destroy farm buildings.
Commenting, Scottish Greens food and farming spokesperson Mark Ruskell said: “I share the overwhelming desire to demonstrate our thanks to key workers, but creating more risk of wildfires is not how to do it. Apart from anything else, our emergency services need to be focused on our public health crisis, not protecting our food supply and farm animals from sky lanterns.
“We’ve had dry weather, so the risk from a mass release of these things is greater than ever. The best way to support our emergency services is to stay home and stay safe. Moving forward, these products cause litter, wildfires, and injury to animals and should be banned.”