"New year whistles, crackles and bangs may have troubled the Dutch for the last time, however, as a nationwide ban on most consumer fireworks is expected to take effect before the close of 2026. The move would make the Netherlands only the second European nation, after Ireland, to forbid a tradition that critics across the continent argue is wildly dangerous, terrifies pets and chokes cities with toxic fumes."
"Ines Kostic, an MP with the Party for the Animals, which began pushing for a ban 15 years ago, said the Dutch campaign had gained support as people grew more aware of the victims and the burden placed on emergency services. I used to set off fireworks myself, she said. We all grew up with it; it was completely normalised. But I came to realise how great the societal damage is."
New Year fireworks in the Netherlands caused widespread injuries, fires and violence, including more than 1,200 injuries, one-third requiring hospital treatment, and two deaths. Emergency services faced heavy burdens: firefighters logged 4,286 incident reports and faced attacks while responding during an evening that saw a 19th-century church burned near Vondelpark. Medical staff treated severe trauma, including an incident where a patient's eyeball was blown out by a firework. Growing public awareness, supported by long-term campaigning from the Party for the Animals, propelled a plan for a nationwide ban on most consumer fireworks expected to take effect before the end of 2026.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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