Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the prevalence of pollution from littering of (a) nitrous oxide cannisters, (b) plastic balloons and (c) other paraphernalia from the use of that gas for recreational purposes.
Defra has made no specific assessment of the prevalence of pollution from littering of nitrous oxide cannisters, plastics balloons, or other paraphernalia from the use of nitrous oxide gas for recreational purposes.
Keep Britain Tidy has, however, recently undertaken a national survey, on behalf of Defra, to understand litter composition across the UK. Nitrous oxide cannisters did not feature in its findings, and balloon-related litter was only found in very small quantities. The report did not distinguish between balloon-related litter as a result of the use of nitrous oxide gas for recreational purposes and other uses for balloons. The report is available at:
It is an offence to drop litter of any kind, and councils have legal powers to take enforcement action against offenders. Anyone caught littering may be prosecuted in a magistrates’ court, which can lead to a criminal record and a fine of up to £2,500 on conviction. Instead of prosecuting, councils may decide to issue a fixed penalty (on-the-spot fine) of between £65 and £150.
The Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 introduced powers, such as Public Space Protection Orders, which the police and local councils can use to prevent people from taking intoxicating substances, including psychoactive substances such as nitrous oxide, in specified areas.