Sixteen Dutch municipalities banning consumer fireworks this New Year's

Sixteen Dutch municipalities will completely ban consumer fireworks this New Year’s, compared to twelve a year ago, RTL Nieuws reports after surveying the municipalities. Another three plan to ban fireworks from 2024/25 New Year’s.

Tilburg, Arnhem, Amersfoort, and Eindhoven are banning fireworks in the entire municipality for the first time this year. Ede, Zwolle, and Zupthen plan to do so next year. Most places with firework bans are organizing central fireworks shows to ring in the New Year.

Of the 342 municipalities that aren’t banning New Year’s fireworks, many said that local bans were too hard to enforce. Others said they don’t need a ban because fireworks either don’t cause problems at all in the municipality or the problems are mainly caused by illegal fireworks that are already banned. Some said their residents were against a ban.

At least 22 municipalities told RTL that there should be a national ban on the lighting and sale of fireworks. “Nationally, there is still a lack of a clear (multi-year) strategy, meaning municipalities deal differently with fireworks. We find this undesirable,” Helmond told the broadcaster, for example. The Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG) has called for a national ban for some time, but the cause has never achieved majority support in parliament.

Several municipalities, often on the border, think a European ban is preferable. Hillegom: “We are waiting for national and European legislation. As long as that doesn’t exist, we’ll be mopping with the tap open.”