The Farmers' Union of Wales today repeated its demands for a total ban on Chinese (sky) lanterns after firefighters revealed they believe a huge blaze at a plastic recycling factory on the outskirts of Birmingham was started by one.
"Only six weeks ago the union expressed its disappointment that a government-funded study failed to properly reflect the dangers Chinese lanterns pose to property and livestock," said FUW land use and parliamentary committee chairman Gavin Williams, who farms on Anglesey.
Mr Williams was referring to a study jointly commissioned by Defra and the Welsh Government, and carried out by ADAS, into the risks of sky lanterns and helium balloons to livestock health and welfare; the environment (including litter); fire risk; damage to marine life and consumer safety.
Despite conceding that the evidence they received reflected widespread concern from farmers and others over the dangers of sky lanterns, they failed to support calls for a ban on Chinese lanterns.
After consulting its members throughout Wales, the union received numerous reports of lanterns being found in fields that were being grazed, about to be grazed, or cut for silage or hay.
Other more serious reports received included a lantern found smouldering in a barn containing hay and straw and a cow injured following a stampede started by lanterns floating over fields containing livestock.
"The materials used in the construction of these lanterns pose a danger to livestock, particularly if the wire or bamboo from the frame of the lantern is chopped up during the silage making process and contaminates feedstocks.
“We have also repeatedly warned that sky lanterns pose a considerable fire risk and this latest incident demonstrates why there should be an outright ban on the manufacture and sale of sky lanterns, and that their release should be made illegal in the UK.”
Around 200 firefighters were tackling the blaze today at Smethwick where about 100,000 tonnes of recycling material and a factory unit were set alight.