Fireworks ban was a success according to Bruls: "we need a fireworks ban for the entire country"

The firework ban past New Year’s Eve was a big success, according to Hubert Bruls, the Mayor of Nijmegen. He is thus calling on the cabinet to permanently ban fireworks every year. “Now we need to really push through for a fireworks ban for the entire country,” he said.

This New Year’s Eve, fireworks were banned due to the coronavirus crisis, which was very well received by Bruls, who is also the chairman of the Dutch Security Council.

There were fewer incidents this year than usual. “We can already see that a lot of people adhere to the rules. So, thanks to them, we now have far fewer people who had to go to the hospital or the GP,” said Bruls. “That was, of course, our main goal, to ensure that we receive that care as much as possible. It seems, I say cautiously, that it worked.”

Entrepreneurs of firework companies, united in the organization Belangvereniging Pyrotechniek Nederland (BPN), argue that it is unfair to draw conclusions based on this year only.

BPN says that, despite the ban, there were a lot of ornamental fireworks on display this year, which led to fewer problems. A turn of the year with only decorative fireworks is thus a future that the trade association can envision. “With just this decorative firework, we will get a festive closing of the year, and damage, injury, and inconvenience will be minimal.”