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The Netherlands has just banned the purchase and use of fireworks.
In April 2025, the Dutch parliament voted in favor of a ban on citizens buying and setting off fireworks themselves, as opposed to attending professional events and displays. The ban is expected to come into force from today, January 1, 2026.
A majority of Dutch MPs supported the ban, but they also supported a separate motion to postpone until at least New Year’s Day to avoid compensation claims from fireworks suppliers. Last year, fireworks importers and sellers in the Netherlands notably had a record turnover of €115 million (more than USD $135 million).
Fireworks are a significant part of New Year’s Eve celebrations around the world, but particularly within Dutch culture. The colorful explosives were already banned outside of professional use for 364 out of 365 days, but on New Year’s Eve, ordinary citizens had previously been allowed to buy and set off fireworks themselves.
In the Netherlands, New Year’s Eve fireworks are often set off in the street, and the resulting damage has escalated recently. On January 1, 2024, 1,162 people were injured by fireworks, and two died, per the BBC. Around 200 people were arrested, and fireworks-related damage was estimated to be €16 million ($17.5 million).
Firework ban promotes safety ‘for both people and animals’
An IPSOS survey found that 62 percent of citizens viewed the proposed full ban positively or very positively, while 20 percent viewed it negatively or very negatively.
Those who supported the ban cited safety as a key motivator. Ipsos researcher Dionna van Lint told the NL Times, “Many people emphasize that the fireworks ban will contribute to general safety around New Year’s, for both people and animals.”
Eighty-three percent said that they will comply with the new law, while 10 percent said they will continue to set fireworks off illegally. Nearly 60 percent believed that a ban could not be enforced effectively. Although 19 Dutch cities have already introduced their own local and regional firework bans, they are generally ignored.
Read more: Zoo Links Baby Red Panda’s Death To Fireworks
‘Great news for man and animal’
Fireworks have a significant negative impact on the environment. They release toxic chemicals, start fires, pollute in myriad ways, and torment wild and domestic animals.
The sensory experience of fireworks can also harm people, including those with chronic illnesses. The noise can also be extremely traumatic for some people with mental health conditions like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and for some people with neurodevelopmental conditions like autism.
Several hundred million people are thought to be exposed to harmful firework smoke every year, and children, in particular, are more susceptible to exposure.
Esther Ouwehand, the leader of the Party For The Animals (PvdD) and one of the new bill’s sponsors, previously described its approval as “great news for man and animal,” as reported by the NL Times.
Ouwehand, who is also a vegan animal rights activist, added, “We have been campaigning for this since the foundation of our party more than 20 years ago.”
Read more: Is It Time To Move Away From Fireworks?
