2nd July 2013
Just weeks after Defra said that the impact on the environment from sky lanterns is low and had no plans to insist that manufacturers and retailers switch to readily available eco-friendly designs, an inferno at a plastic recycling centre caused £6,000,000 damage, injured eleven fire fighters and saw 100,000 tonnes of plastic go up in acrid smoke creating a black plume 6000ft high seen from the whole of the Midlands.
However, the report commissioned by Defra and carried out by ADAS cited a minimum of 81 incidents between 2009 and mid 2011 in which sky lanterns were said to be directly implicated in starting fires and any one incidents had the potential to cause ‘significant disruption, loss of property and risk to human and animal life.’ This latest incident shows that this was not a one off.
The report concluded that ‘further consideration is required regarding potential mitigation options, which should consider both the use and the design of sky lanterns.’
“Defra’s proposal following the report is to introduce clearer danger warnings on packaging and guidance of how to use sky lanterns responsibly, which is welcomed, but the action clearly falls short on ensuring only quality lanterns can be bought.” said Simon Thorp Director of the Heather Trust.
The Moorland Association and the Heather Trust expressed their disappointment at the lack of emphasis in the report of the environmental damage moorland wildfires can do.
Explained Robert Benson, Chairman of the Moorland Association: ““Non fire-retardant sky lanterns and tinder dry moorland is a disaster waiting to happen. We are seeing the devastation caused by wildfire sweeping across Western America and the majority of designated heath and moorland in England sits on top of peat which has locked away more carbon than all the trees in France and Britain. This three billion tonnes is equivalent to 100 years of emissions from power stations and car exhausts.
“Wildfire can burn down into peat and a loss of just five per cent of the carbon stored would equate to the UK’s total annual greenhouse gas emissions.”
Fires on this scale are not unheard of and the incidents of wild fires have increased in recent years costing the Fire and Rescue Services £55 million a year to fight.
Sky lanterns float up into the air and remain airborne for as long as they are filled with hot air.
Therefore, they should only fall back to the ground when the fuel cell flame is extinguished.
In practice, the evidence suggests that this is not always the case, and lanterns sometimes
drift back to land whilst still alight.
This can be due to inherent design and construction weaknesses and/or to ineffective launching procedures or release in high winds. The result is that the lantern could fall to the ground whilst still alight and could set fire to the paper canopy – particularly if the lantern is not made of flame retardant material. This could then become a significant fire hazard as seen at Smethwick.
How you can help.
Refrain from using sky lanterns when it has been hot and dry.
Only buy lanterns that are made of fire retardant paper and have a non drip cell.
Only launch in winds up to 5mph – if the lantern is difficult to light, it’s too windy!
Do not launch lanterns with a damaged canopy – they will fall to the ground whilst still alight.
Do not launch close to livestock or where lanterns may drift over moorland.
