BOROUGH OF POOLE
ENVIRONMENT OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY GROUP
26 th February 2009
REPORT OF HEAD OF ENVIRONMENTAL & CONSUMER PROTECTION SERVICES
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A BAN ON THE RELEASE OF BALLONS FROM COUNCIL OWNED OR RUN LAND IN POOLE
1 Purpose of Report
1.1 To request members to support a voluntary agreement that all Council Departments ban the release of balloons from Council owned or run land.
2 Options
2.1 The Council introduce a voluntary ban to prevent the mass release of balloons from its land within Poole.
2.2 The Council can continue to allow mass balloon releases from its land within Poole.
3 Background Information
3.1 In July 2008 the Council was contacted by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) with regard to the Councils policy on balloon releases from Council owned property. See Appendix attached – letter and leaflet.
3.2 The MCS was highlighting its ‘Don’t Let Go’ campaign and requesting Local Authorities to support its request for the responsible use of balloons by banning the release of balloons from Council land.
3.3 MCS has evidence that, not only are balloons litter, but they are also potentially lethal to wildlife and have killed whales, dolphins, turtles, sharks and seabirds. In addition, they are known to affect many land species and the campaign to ban releases is supported by the RSPCA, RSPB and National Farmers Union, as well as the keep tidy groups such as Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Wales Tidy and ENCAMS.
3.4 MCS are not against balloon per se and offer alternative uses but request that organisers ‘Don’t Let Go!’ A copy of the leaflet is attached as appendix 1 to this report. Mass balloon releases are littering and MCS has seen a three fold increase in the amount of balloon waste found on UK beaches during their annual Beachwatch event.
3.5 Since 1996 the average numbers of balloon per km has risen from 3.4 to 11.5. 3.6 A calculated release of balloons shows scant regard to the environment given that there is no knowledge of where they will land and no way to ensure there safe disposal.
3.7 Poole relies on its position at the mouth of Poole Harbour, its blue flag beaches, and as part of the Dorset World Heritage Site for its economic stability. Many of the tourists that visit Poole each year are attracted by the wealth of biodiversity to be found on the surrounding land and in the seas.
3.8 The strong winds that are essential for sailing around Poole result in a higher than average wind speed than most areas within the UK. These winds, even in the summer, have the capacity to carry wind borne litter to surrounding areas, in to the countryside and farmlands of West Dorset and, eventually, into the coastal waters and marine breeding grounds around Poole and the Dorset Coast.
3.9 Evidence backed by ENCAM and MSC surveys, and the views of the Plymouth based National Marine Aquarium, suggested that balloon litter (the latex balloons, stoppers, tags and strings) are causing a particular threat to wildlife and the environment. For example, in one 160m stretch of beach in 2006, 13 items of balloon ‘waste’ were found.
3.10 Research carried out by Plymouth City Council showed that evidence from vets around the Plymouth area point to the danger of ingestion of balloons and associated debris by livestock. One vet had treated a pony that had ingested balloon remnants found in hay and others had treated lambs that had ingested the latex balloon waste. In both cases the costs of care, or the loss of livestock, were noted alongside the concern for the animals’ welfare.
3.11 The following councils have undertaken voluntary bans on the release of balloons: Plymouth, Portsmouth, Ipswich, Lancaster, Shetland, South Hams District Council, Tonbridge and Malling, Wandsworth and Carlisle District Council.
4 Current Situation
4.1 The Council does not have any policy at present regarding balloon releases.
5 Considerations
5.1 Consultation was carried out with Poole Tourism and Leisure Services. Tourism did not have any objections to the proposal while Leisure Services have the following condition within the Leisure Community Events Management Policy: Section 4.30 Balloon Releases - The Council discourages multi-balloon releases (including the bio- degradable latex variety or foil balloons) on environmental grounds.
5.2 That the Committee introduce a voluntary ban on the release of balloons at events held on Council land or land managed by the Council.
6 Financial Implications
6.1 There is no financial impact to the implementation of this ban. 7 Legal implications
7.1 Balloons and associated debris if found on the ground is litter as stated in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Cleaner Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005. It would be difficult to prosecute any person for littering having released balloons as most releases result in the balloons being carried to areas far away form the initial release area. It would be difficult to either prove who released the balloons or if the balloons resulted in litter.
SHAUN ROBSON Head of Environmental and Consumer Protection Services
Contact Officer: Frank Wenzel Principal Officer Telephone 01202 261782
Background Papers:
1. MSC campaign leaflet “Don’t Let Go” (not available electronically)
2. MSC letter to local authorities Date 23/06/08
Dear Sir/Madam
Balloon Releases – Don’t Let Go!
The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) recently contacted your council with regard to your policy on balloon releases from council owned property, but have received no response to our enquiry.
MCS would like to draw your attention to the impacts of mass balloon releases on wildlife and to ask if you would consider imposing either a byelaw to ban balloon releases or introducing a voluntary ban. Several councils around the UK have already taken this step (Plymouth, Portsmouth, Ipswich, Lancaster and Shetland). MCS are hopeful that should more councils also decide to this, there will be sufficient pressure on the Government to include balloon waste as litter under the Clean Neighbourhoods Act.
What goes up must come down.
Mass balloon releases are littering and MCS has seen a three fold increase in the amount of balloon waste found on UK beaches during our annual Beachwatch event. Since 1996 the average numbers of balloon per km has risen from 3.4 to 11.5. This may also have been reflected in the litter collection within your area.
Balloons kill wildlife
MCS has evidence that not only are balloons littering, but they are also potentially lethal to wildlife and have killed whales, dolphins, turtles, sharks and seabirds. In addition, they are known to affect many land species and the campaign to ban releases is supported by the RSPCA, RSPB and National Farmers Union, as well as the keep tidy groups such as Keep Scotland Beautiful, Keep Wales Tidy and Encams. MCS are not against balloon per se and offer alternative uses but request that organisers ‘Don’t Let Go!’ We have included a leaflet on balloon releases and would ask that you please visit the Don’t Let Go! pages on the MCS website for further details www.mcsuk.org
MCS would be grateful if you would give this matter some thought and ask that you consider either introducing a byelaw prohibiting balloon releases or a voluntary code to stop balloons being released. Please contact MCS for further details [email protected] or telephone 01989 566017.
Yours sincerely,
Gill Bell