Council chiefs have approved a ban on the release of Chinese lanterns and helium balloons throughout Perthshire but insist they are not “killjoys”.
Members of Perth and Kinross Council’s environment committee have backed a new policy prohibiting the deliberate release of balloons at council-owned sites, as well as at events supported by the local authority but not held on its land.
The move has been adopted to curb the risks to wildlife, as well preventing accidental fires and hazards for residents.
Councillor Alan Grant, the convener of the environment committee, said there is no intention to spoil anyone’s fun.
“I’ve no doubt that this will be viewed by some people as us being spoilsports or killjoys,” he said.
“However, once you have been appraised of the dangers here, I think it’s quite clear we have to do something about it especially on land which we own and control or at events where we are managing them.
“In circumstances like this, the industry will find a way of coping with this.”
He added: “The real concerns relate to the structure of these items, such as the latex on the balloons and the wire frames of the lanterns. They can clearly have bad effects on wildlife and, on occasion, (can lead to) very serious fires.”