A broad alliance of environmental, medical, and animal welfare organisations is calling for an immediate and permanent ban on the firing of environmentally and health-damaging black powder firecrackers and firework rockets.
Under the hashtag #böllerciao, the alliance is urging all citizens to sign an open letter to the Federal Minister of the Interior.
Firework rockets and firecrackers based on black powder cause the highest levels of air pollution of the year. They harm millions of animals, pollute the environment with thousands of tonnes of waste, and are expected once again to cause many thousands of injuries — some life-threatening — and even fatalities.
New Year's Eve fireworks trigger flight and panic responses
Noise, the smell of burning, and flashing lights trigger flight and panic behaviour in domestic, wild, zoo, and so-called farm animals. Thousands of animals flee every year on New Year's Eve, fail to find their way back, and in some cases suffer serious accidents and injuries. The Tasso statistics on escaped animals are unambiguous: while an average of 85 dogs go missing on normal days, as many as 227 flee in panic on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Wild animals are also affected. In particular, wild birds leave their roosting sites in the middle of the night in mortal fear. Millions of animals kept in crowded fattening and breeding facilities also react with panic. Added to this is the increased risk of fire in animal husbandry facilities.
Accidents, fires, waste, and health hazards
In addition to the suffering of animals, there is a high risk of accidents, fires, property damage, and significant production of pollutants and waste. Health reasons also support a ban: New Year's Eve fireworks cause fatalities and thousands of unnecessary injuries and health disorders every year. The high levels of particulate matter generate combustion products containing toxic and irritating substances.
Open letter to the Federal Minister of the Interior
A new action alliance, coordinated by the German Environmental Aid (DUH) and supported by the Police Union (GdP), is therefore calling on Federal Interior Minister Faeser — following two years in which New Year's Eve fireworks were largely cancelled due to the pandemic — to impose an immediate and permanent nationwide ban on the sale of New Year's Eve firecrackers and rockets, as well as a nationwide prohibition on their use. To lend weight to this demand, the alliance is urging all citizens to sign the open letter to the Federal Interior Minister.
Survey: Majority in favour of a ban
The associations and the Police Union are not alone in calling for a ban on firecrackers. According to a representative survey commissioned by the Brandenburg Consumer Advice Centre, 53 percent of the German population support a ban on the archaic New Year's Eve fireworks tradition. As many as 71 percent are in favour of exclusion zones in all major cities, according to a representative survey conducted by the polling institute Civey on behalf of t-online.
Get involved for a firecracker-free New Year's Eve
DUH Federal Managing Director Jürgen Resch commented: «We are calling for an end to the archaic New Year's Eve firecracker tradition and for exuberant celebrations without air pollution and thousands of tonnes of waste, without millions of frightened and suffering animals, without house fires and many thousands of injured children and adults. Unfortunately, the responsible Federal Interior Minister Faeser has so far ignored the will of the majority of the population, who no longer want this deafening and health-damaging fireworks culture. With a single signature, citizens can take part in the participatory campaign #böllerciao and join us in applying pressure for a firecracker-free New Year's Eve — permanently!»
The action alliance is calling for participation under the hashtag #böllerciao. Please sign at www.duh.de/boellerfrei the open letter to Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser for a firecracker-free New Year's Eve.
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