CORNWALL Council will consider a move to ban the sale of plastic ‘flying ring’ frisbee-style toys next week. There is growing concern that the rings are causing unnecessary harm to marine mammals, specifically seals, when lost or discarded.

Next Tuesday’s full council meeting at Lys Kernow / County Hall, Truro, will hear a motion brought by Liberal Democrat councillors Rosie Moore and Chris Batters to promote a voluntary ban on the sale of flying rings, encouraging shops to sell alternatives instead. The council will also be asked to produce and circulate publicity highlighting to the public the danger the toys present to marine mammals.

The motion also asks the authority to ban or discourage the use of the rings on Cornwall Council beaches. It states: “These discarded flying rings are found by curious seals, they get stuck around the seals’ necks, as the seals grow, the rings tighten causing infection, unnecessary pain, suffering and often death. Traditional solid frisbees do not pose the same threat.”

In May 2023, members of the then Conservative Cabinet were contacted by the Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust raising the impact of the toys, which the council administration agreed to support by way of any promotional campaigns. However, former council leader Linda Taylor said enforcing the banning of rings would be a challenge.

Since then the council’s beach management team has worked closely with officers from the Cornwall Seal Group and continues to promote the campaign across social media and on the ground. The council does not permit any traders on council land as part of ‘pop-up’ concessions to sell flying rings. The council has previously banned the launching of lanterns and balloons on its land.