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Sky lanterns have been blamed for the death of cattle and other livestock as well as causing fires both in rural and urban areas. This barn owl (photo by Simon Pain @ Billow Farm) was found dead after becoming trapped in, or colliding with, a lantern.

EU Member States that have banned or put restrictions on the sales and/or the use of sky lanterns include Austria, Malta, Germany and Spain. Sky lanterns have also been voluntarily withdrawn from the market in Finland. In the Netherlands, sky lanterns were banned from sale in 2008. However, following design improvements specified by importers in 2010 (e.g. removal of wire, use of flame-retardant paper, etc.) and improved consumer guidance, the risks were deemed to be lower. Accordingly, the Dutch authorities allowed sales of these "improved" sky lanterns from the end of 2010.

Sky lanterns have been blamed for the death of cattle mainly due to them injesting bits of wire from sky lanters which have landed in fields and been incorporated in silage or straw bales. Since sky lanterns contain a naked flame, there are additional concerns about the fire risk to buildings, property and crops from uncontrolled landings. But it is not just sky lanterns, helium balloons have been found ingested in endangered turtles, dolphins, whales and seabirds. Most leatherback turtles that wash up dead on our UK beaches have eaten litter, according to the RSPB.