Officials issue ban on popular beach toy that poses overlooked danger: 'Great leadership'

In July, Cornwall became the latest region of the United Kingdom to ban "flying rings," a type of toy that poses a particular danger to marine life in the area, CornishStuff reported.

Flying rings are a type of frisbee characterized by their open center, which creates a ring shape. They are made of plastic, which means they are one of the many types of plastic trash that should not be left on the beach in any case, as they can shed microplastics.

However, unlike other types of plastic trash, flying rings are uniquely dangerous to seals and other marine mammals. They are just the right size and shape to go over an animal's head and get stuck around its neck. Worse, they float and are brightly colored, so playful animals such as seals are enticed to play with them, making them much more likely to get stuck.

According to CornishStuff, this issue first came to national attention when a well-known and much-beloved seal named Wings was discovered to have been trapped in one of these hazards. She was successfully rescued after a week or two, but even in that short time, the flying ring had caused painful cuts. The danger is even greater for young seals that get the rings stuck around them while they are still growing, as the restriction can eventually strangle them.

To prevent this fate, regions such as Swansea have enacted bans on the sale of flying rings. On July 22, the Cornwall Council voted to enact a voluntary ban of its own. It will encourage local businesses to offer safer alternatives, raise awareness about the issue in the local community, and discourage the use of flying rings on local beaches controlled by the Cornwall Council.

Sue Sayer MBE, founder and director of the Seal Research Trust, which has campaigned to ban flying rings, praised the Cornwall Council for its decision, per CornishStuff. "Cornwall Council has shown great leadership once again in the South West with their decision today, that will help protect our native, heritage, speciality marine species — seals," she said.