Malta is planning to ban plastic confetti and balloons at open air events, with the government claiming this will reduce marine litter.

The Environment Ministry has issued a proposed legal notice for public consultation.

Legally, the definition of “open air’ would include any open space and any covered place open to the air on at least one side.

The use of alternative forms of confetti which are not made of plastic, such as biodegradable confetti and confetti made out of natural material (e.g. rice or leaves), is not being banned.

Plastic confetti may still be used for indoor events but for a limited time period. It will be banned from the market two months after the legal notice comes into the force and will be banned from use after six months.

While the deliberate release of balloons at open air events will be banned, the legal notice envisages a proviso to cater  for their lawful release if they are “sufficiently weighted in a manner that prevents their release into the environment outside the event organiser’s control”.

The Ministry said that this is being done to ensure that traditional balloon releases such as those carried out by certain band clubs during local village feasts are not banned.