Ban Chinese Lanterns - Now !!!

[woe10]

After the £6million blaze last week and numerous complaints from farmers about the dangers of these contraptions, isn't it about time the Authorities pulled there fingers out, and banned them forthwith, instead of waiting another 2 years and more disasters.

They have nothing to do with British Culture and should not be allowed to just float off wherever the wind takes them.

Now the RSPCA is organising a petition to get them banned after numerous animal deaths caused by them.

Link

[woe10]

Sign the petition. The RSPCA needs 20,000 signatures.

[Mr Boo Boo]

Totally agree with you Woe, I hate the things, I all be signing the petition.

[glenys]

Mr Cameron said he will not ban these as they're so pretty. Never mind all the mayhem they cause. How do I sign the petition?

[dagwood]

For once I agree with you Woe, I live in a rural area in Ireland and the local farmers are worried sick because of the danger to livestock and crops. I would also ban fireworks (unless properly supervised) because of the stress and danger they cause to animals especially dogs. They have also been the cause of serious damage by starting fires. 

[waggy]

Apart from the obvious risk of fire on ripened cereal crops, laid hay, moorland and other fires, the real gut wrencher, literally, is the injury and damage they do to the innards of horses and cattle which ingest the metal hoop remains in silage and hay when they've landed on agricultural land. Ban them as soon as possible: they are an unwanted, non-traditional novelty and a dangerous one at that.

[Brightspark]

£6million

Who comes up with these figures?

[IsThisForumStillGoingWow]

£6million

Who comes up with these figures?

The guy claiming off his insurance company ? 

[Can the Man]

For once I agree with you Woe, I live in a rural area in Ireland and the local farmers are worried sick because of the danger to livestock and crops. I would also ban fireworks (unless properly supervised) because of the stress and danger they cause to animals especially dogs. They have also been the cause of serious damage by starting fires.

Dagwood, I live near the bog of Allen and I totally agree with you, the harm they can go to animals, and potential fire hazards on bog land where footed turf is drying or stored, could cost millions.

[KWC]

Never seen one yet 

[woe10]

Mr Cameron said he will not ban these as they're so pretty. Never mind all the mayhem they cause. How do I sign the petition?

To sign the petition go to the original thread at the top, and click on the word  LINK. This will take you to the RSPCA website with the petition on it.

[fifi]

Never seen one yet 

I have never seen one either.

[KWC]

I'll need to nip out and buy a dozen to see what the fuss is all about 

[waggy]

Never seen one yet 

I have never seen one either.

You remember that UFO you reported last year....?

[SheilaW]

I've never seen one either, though I've seen them on sale on IWOOT etc. Can someone give a link to a balanced account of what they are and what problems they cause, please?

[duncolm]

I saw several floating over my village last November 5th.

They're lightweight paper and wire constructions with a candle inside. When the candle is lit they act just like a hot air balloon. The heat makes them lighter than air and they float.

This 4 year old article describes some of the problems:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ethicallivingblog/2009/jul/31/sky-lanterns

[TamaraEnLaPlaya]

There is also the Coastguard/RNLI issue to take into account: http://www.rospa.com/homesafety/adviceandinformation/product/chinese-lanterns.aspx
Where we used to live, near the English Channel, these lanterns caused numerous alerts wasting considerable resources.

[Can the Man]

This is what they look like

[isleswing]

Poundstretcher still have them £3.99 for a pack of 5

[woe10]

They would wouldn't they. What do they care about the Environment 

[IsThisForumStillGoingWow]

Yet again another error..Poundland do not sell them any more, they pulled them off their shelves a few days ago..the first store to do so.

A spokesman for Poundland said: "We constantly review our buying decisions in accordance with what's happening around us.

"After hearing the news about the fire in Smethwick we have made a decision to stop selling lanterns to our customers, and recalled all remaining stock from stores."


"Poundland has become the first retailer to stop selling controversial Chinese lanterns, days after one caused a huge blaze at recycling depot"


http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/poundland-stops-selling-chinese-lanterns-2031664

[IsThisForumStillGoingWow]

It seems Poundland have a bit more heart than Cameron though 

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/smethwick-fire-david-cameron-rejects-2019197

[isleswing]

ERROR?

I wrote Poundstretcher   

[IsThisForumStillGoingWow]

My apologies Isleswing..well at least someone is doing something about it  Have signed petition though