Rotterdam bans New Year's fireworks in high-risk neighborhoods

Rotterdam is introducing a limited fireworks ban from this New Year's. Neighborhoods where things got out of hand and there were firework related incidents in the past, will be banned from lighting fireworks on New Year's. While quiet neighborhoods will still be allowed to do so, the city council decided on Thursday night, RTV Rijnmond reports.

The city already had fireworks bans at locations where they cause a lot of nuisance, such as around hospitals, nursing homes, parks and animal shelters. These bans will remain in place. Rotterdam is only expanding its fireworks bans to other places.

A complete ban on New Year's fireworks could not find majority support in the city council. "What we mainly wanted to change was to not impose a complete ban on the entire city for now at least, while there are also a lot of good citizens who like to light some fireworks in front of the door", D66 councilor Nadia Arsueni said to RTV Rijnmond.

The VVD also wants to ban firecrackers from the city, since the Dutch Safety Board previously said that crackers are one of the types of fireworks that cause the most problems and damage. The party hopes to make agreements with fireworks sellers on this front. Faction leader Vincent Karremans believes that no longer selling firecrackers will make a big difference in the city. "Of course you can go to Schiedam, to Barendrecht, to Ridderkerk if you really want to", he said. "But with Rotterdam it will make a big difference, because most people go to fireworks stores in the neighborhood."