The majority of local councils will no longer release balloons during their activities, a move backed by various other organisations in localities.

The ban follows an agreement reached between the Association of Local Councils and Malta Clean Up, which the former hopes will eventually be backed up by national legislation.

So far, 41 councils have signed up to the ban, which is aimed at preventing the plastic pollution caused by the balloons once they burst and come back to land or the sea.

The association said that the decision was precipitated by the death of a turtle which had died as a result of this waste. It has proposed a number of alternatives to balloons.

The association is now lobbying the relevant ministry to enforce the balloon ban through legislation.

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