AN ABERYSTWYTH environmentalist group is calling on the county council to ban the release of balloons to protect wildlife.

Aberystwyth Beach Buddies, a beach cleaning group which campaigns against littering on the town’s beaches, are petitioning Ceredigion County Council to introduce a ban on releasing balloons in the county, along the lines of a similar ban on releasing Chinese lanterns introduced in June last year.

The petition, which has gained 659 signatures in two months, compares the activity to littering and argues that when a balloon lands on sea or land, it can pose a risk to the life of animals.

The petition reads: “If pieces of balloon were to be dropped directly on the ground, you could be fined for littering, but because they are let go — not dropped — they are not classed as litter under current legislation, despite the fact that what goes up comes back down.

“Choking and entanglement are the biggest dangers that balloons and lanterns cause when they float back down to earth.

“Balloons are mistaken for food by many species of wildlife, particularly turtles."

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