Welsh council considers frisbee ban

Ted Peskett, local democracy reporter

A second Welsh council could be about to support the banning of a popular type of frisbee in a bid to protect marine wildlife.

Swansea Council announced in October 2024 that it would support schools and businesses to introduce a ban of ‘flying ring’ frisbees on beaches and now Vale of Glamorgan Council looks set to follow suit.

A motion, put forward by the Labour group at the local authority ahead of the next full council meeting on Monday, April 28, calls for a voluntary ban on the sale and use of the ring shaped frisbee across the county.

The motion, submitted by Cllr Carys Stallard and Cllr Ewan Goodjohn, recognises that the plastic toy is sold for recreational use, but adds that it is “causing unnecessary harm to marine mammals, specifically seals, when discarded”.

Seals

A ban on the sale and use of flying ring frisbees was called for by a number wildlife campaigns and groups long before Swansea Council introduced its ban, with images showing plastic rings stuck around the necks of seals widely shared online.

The motion being put to Vale of Glamorgan Council members this week notes that some shops in the county as well as some chain stores have already decided to stop selling the toy.

It goes on to add: “This Council further notes that plastic pollution is a global issue and any steps to reduce plastic pollution are positive: plastic in our seas does not disappear.”

If the motion is voted through by councillors, the local authority will promote a voluntary ban on the sale of flying ring frisbees and encourage shops to sell alternatives.

It will also write to the Welsh and UK governments in support of the ban and promote the campaign through its media channels.

Similar bans have been supported by other UK councils, including King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Council and Tiverton Town Council in Devon.

Casualties

One sanctuary called the Cornish Seal Sanctuary said it and a number of other wildlife groups have seen many casualties due to the issue of flying ring frisbees.

Their website states that young seals will explore the plastic toy if it has been discarded in the sea, leading to the animal becoming entangled in it.

With the rings stuck over the heads of the seals, they can suffer “terrible injuries” later on as they grow.

The group added that unless the animals are rescued, their entanglement usually leads to their premature death.