During the first few days of 2020 more than 50,000 people have signed the petition for a consumer ban on fireworks in the Netherlands. These people, plus those who have already signed the petition, want fireworks to be handled by professionals only. Unless you were out of the country, or hiding under a stone at the end of December, you will know exactly why so many people are calling for such a ban on fireworks here.
A Few Numbers Around Fireworks in the Netherlands
Firstly, to establish just how big a market this whole consumer fireworks thing is, here’s a number for you: 77 million.
That’s how many euros went on fireworks at the end of 2019. That’s up on the year before. This figure puts the Dutch as one of the biggest consumers of fireworks worldwide.
I have another number for you: 15 million.
That’s the initial estimate from the insurance companies of the cost of damage done to houses and cars by fireworks at the end of 2019. And it seems that that figure is set to rise.
The Monetary Cost of Fireworks in the Netherlands
And that 15 million doesn’t include all damage caused by fireworks, not by a long stretch. It doesn’t take into account:
- Direct medical costs for injuries sustained on 31st December and 1st January from fireworks. Think along the lines of eye injuries, damage to hearing and burns. These costs increase when you factor in operations and treatments needed after those dates.
- Sick leave of those who don’t return to work after the New Year celebrations because of their injuries.
- The cost of deploying the extra emergency services workers needed to deal with the chaos of a typical Dutch New Year’s Eve. We can include rioting, attacking emergency services workers, dealing with illegal fireworks, putting out fires and patching up injuries in this cost. As an example, there are twice as many firemen on duty on the night of 31st December than on any other regular evening. The fire brigade was called out 608 times in The Hague alone, including dealing with 33 burnt out cars, during the 31st of December.
- Physical damage to private or company property. That’s either damage from fireworks or fire damage. Take this windmill as an example.
- There’s also the cost of physical damage to public property. Think along the lines of bins, mail boxes, benches.
- Clean up costs of streets for the local councils.
Firework Related Injuries
There were, yet again, more people visiting out of hours doctors or the A&E departments of hospitals because of firework injuries. This time around 1285 people.
Despite the (albeit minor) measures taken to reduce firework injuries the figures are still rising.
Fireworks and Vandalism
For some reason it seems to be acceptable for groups of kids to walk around on the last day of the year with rucksacks full of fireworks. It also seems to be acceptable for them to indiscriminately throw these fireworks around – at people, animals or inanimate objects. Just for the fun of it.
The tales of altercations with firework throwing youths on social media are boundless.
Much of the monetary cost related to firework damage is related to vandalism.
Let than sink in.
The Social Impact of Fireworks
A story that stuck with me this Oud en Nieuw was one about youths throwing fireworks at a funeral procession in The Hague. I mean, seriously.
People are scared to leave their homes.
Those out walking their dog who dare to confront youths about their firework throwing are verbally or physically abused.
The Environmental Impact of Fireworks
Need I explain? 77 million euros worth of fireworks set off in a few hours is an environmental nightmare.
The air pollution caused by fireworks means those with respiratory problems can’t safely leave their house. The metallic compounds which give fireworks their colour are dangerous for our health, as well as for animals. Bodies of water can be contaminated by the oxidisers in the fireworks.
There’s also the issue of noise pollution for people and animals.
And of course the litter.
The Human Cost of the Dutch ‘Tradition’ of New Year’s Fireworks
There’s not just a monetary cost of this Dutch tradition of individuals setting off fireworks themselves. There’s a human cost too. And in the case of the family tragically stuck in a lift in a apartment building in Arnhem, I mean this quite literally.
A father and his four year old son lost their life as a result of kids setting fireworks off. A twelve and thirteen year old were arrested in connection with the deaths. The mother and daughter who were also trapped in the lift were badly injured. This is a tragedy that no family should have to go through because kids are allowed to set of fireworks.
And as Phaedra Werkhoven hauntingly puts it in this article, the families of the kids who inadvertently caused those deaths and injuries are also shattered by this tragedy. As are the children themselves.
How many parents allow their kids to leave the house on the 31st of December with a bag full of fireworks? How many parents could end up in the same situation? How many deaths are acceptable so that the Dutch firework ‘tradition’ can continue?
I can rant and rave about it but it is just too insane for words. Needless deaths. A mindless ‘tradition’.
Firework Ban
The tide is turning. According to the latest research, undertaken by DVJ Insights on behalf of RTL Nieuws, the majority of Dutch people now want a consumer ban on fireworks. Twenty percent have changed their minds in favour of a ban compared to this time last year.
I wholeheartedly support a ban as well. In case that wasn’t yet clear.
And let’s be clear here, we’re not talking about a complete firework ban. The call is for central firework displays, organised by professionals, instead of Jan Smit and his mates setting off fireworks. (I don’t mean the singer Jan Smit, just to clear that up. It’s just a random name. Sorry Jan Smit. And sucess with the Eurovision Song Contest Jan!)
The police and fire brigade want a ban too.
As do doctors.
Mayors are on board with a ban too. Many from the VVD party.
When Will the Dutch Government Take Action?
However, all those in authority who favour a ban are unanimous in their thinking that the ban needs to be on a national level, and is not implementable on a local level (as Apeldoorn is planning to implement).
However, despite incessant calls for a ban from GroenLinks and the Partij voor de Dieren, the VVD and CDA coalition government is still reluctant open discussions about banning consumer fireworks.
What is slowly becoming tradition is this heated debated about banning fireworks at the start of each year but no action being taken. Just for us to do it all over again a year later.
The words ‘war zone’ is regularly used to describe New Year celebrations in the big Dutch cities.
The national police chief, Erik Akerboom said this on the 1st January, reacting to yet another ‘grimmige jaarwisseling‘ that New Year ‘op een andere manier’ gevierd zou moeten worden, zonder gevaarlijk consumentenvuurwerk en met grote, strak georganiseerde evenementen.’
Somewhere along the line there’s something seriously wrong with the Dutch way of seeing in a new year. This is not a tradition worth koester-ing.
Over to You
Should there be a ban on the use of fireworks by consumers in the Netherlands? Is the tradition of individuals setting off fireworks one that should be protected?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
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