Inspectorate again rejected over 20 percent of decorative fireworks for consumers

The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) has rejected over a fifth of the decorative fireworks it tested before they could be sold to consumers. This concerns 20.5 percent of tested fireworks from the F2 category, such as cakes, barrages, ground bloom flowers, fountains, rockets and compound boxes. Roughly the same percentage failed inspection last year.

Those who imported fireworks which were rejected must remove them from the market, and destroy them at their own expense, the inspectorate announced on Wednesday. The ILT examined a total of 171 fireworks articles for labeling requirements and functionality.

The main reason that fireworks were rejected was because burning debris flew beyond a minimum safe radius of eight meters. Rejected fireworks also delivered a blast that was louder than 120 decibels, or they did not reach a high enough altitude. Furthermore, some rejected fireworks did not detonate at all, or they exploded.

The inspection also saw relatively many issues that went wrong when setting off compound boxes, composite fireworks in which sometimes more than two hundred shots are fired. "During the testing of the compounds, there were often duds, burning parts outside the safety circle and a noise level that was too high," the ILT said.

A fifth of the fireworks tested last year were also rejected. Still, the inspectorate observed that the fireworks industry has taken steps to improve safety. For example, the dimensions of some fireworks items have been adjusted so that they do not topple over, provided they are placed in a stable position. Fireworks that are filled by machines are also more consistent in quality than before, the inspection noted.

However, 25.5 percent of the fireworks tested were still of insufficient quality, according to the inspection service. This concerns, for example, fireworks that continued to burn after igniting. Importers of these fireworks will receive a letter from the inspection service to make adjustments to the fireworks.

F2 fireworks may only be sold on December 28, 29 and 30 this year. Because December 31 falls on a Sunday this year, it is not counted as an official sales day. People may light their fireworks starting at 6 p.m. on New Year's Eve, and they must stop by 2 a.m on New Year's Day.