Few Dutch municipalities organizing New Year's firework shows
A call from the foundation for society and safety SVM to ban individuals from lighting fireworks over New Year's and instead organize a firework show, had little effect. Only eight municipalities in the Netherlands have fireworks events planned for the coming New Year's celebrations, NOS reports after surveying the Dutch municipalities.
Of the 273 municipalities who responded to the broadcaster's questions, only Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Apeldoorn, Hilversum and Zoetermeer are organizing fireworks shows themselves. Rotterdam is also having a special fireworks show for children earlier in the evening. Zaltbommel told NOS that residents are organizing a fireworks event. And in Ten Boer the Association of Village Interests is organizing a 15 minute long show on behalf of the municipality.
Nine other municipalities haven't made a decision yet.
Around a fifth of municipalities are implementing firework free zones around hospitals, nursing homes, childcare institutions or shopping centers this year. Wassenaar, Blaricum, Bloemendaal and Heiloo are also banning the lighting of fireworks near houses with a thatched roof.
Dutch are allowed to light fireworks between 6:00 p.m. on December 31st and 2:00 a.m. on January 1st. According to NOS, 90 percent of municipalities are satisfied with this period, and 6 percent want it to be shorter. Fifteen municipalities told NOS that they'd like a total ban on consumer fireworks, but realize that this can only be arranged at a national level.
