Status: January 1, 2022, 8:30 AM
Minimal pyrotechnics displays marked New Year’s Eve—a trend continuing from the previous year to curb infections and reduce hospital strain. The German Environmental Aid advocates for a complete and lasting prohibition of fireworks.
The German Environmental Aid (DUH) is actively campaigning for a permanent ban on New Year’s Eve fireworks. A DUH spokesperson, Matthias Walter, alerted readers on the watson.de website to the multiple ways that “rockets and firecrackers contaminate the air we breathe.”
The combustion of fireworks, containing substances like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, generates hazardous and respiratory irritants. Walter emphasized, however, that “the substantial emission of particulate matter is even more concerning.”
The German Environmental Aid highlighted the considerable improvement in air quality last year, a direct consequence of the extensive firecracker prohibition.
“While some individuals with illegally obtained pyrotechnics did set off fireworks, the New Year’s celebrations were notably calmer and significantly healthier ” stated Walter.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sale of firecrackers and New Year’s Eve rockets was prohibited in Germany in both the last two years. Although individuals could still ignite previously purchased or imported fireworks, restrictions, such as central location detonation bans and firecracker limitations, were still enforced.
The pyrotechnics sector voiced strong opposition to the sales ban, citing its severely damaging impact. The Higher Administrative Court Berlin-Brandenburg (OV)
Emergency responders, already strained by the pandemic’s impact, would benefit from a fireworks sales prohibition. This is because they routinely treat numerous individuals injured by New Year’s Eve pyrotechnics. Critics of New Year’s Eve fireworks also highlight the substantial waste generated, and the environmental harm to both wildlife and pets.
## A Quieter New Year’s Eve: Germany’s Ongoing Fireworks Debate
The muted New Year’s Eve celebrations of 2022, marked by minimal pyrotechnics displays, reflect a growing trend and ongoing debate regarding fireworks in Germany. This trend, stemming from a desire to curb infections and reduce hospital strain (as the article states), is fueled further by environmental concerns and public health anxieties. The situation in 2022 is a continuation of restrictions imposed in previous years.
The German Environmental Aid (DUH) is a key player in this debate, actively pushing for a complete and permanent ban on fireworks. Their spokesperson, Matthias Walter, highlights the significant air pollution caused by fireworks.
This aligns with the broader concerns about air quality, especially in urban areas.
While the provided search results focus on the current year’s regulations, and not on those of 2022, they provide context. The articles discuss the annual debate around fireworks regulations in Berlin [[1]] and Munich [[2]], highlighting the localized variations in restrictions. Though these articles are from December 2023, the ongoing nature of the debate suggests consistent pressure for stricter regulations. Moreover, [[3]] notes that while amateurs over 18 can legally buy and ignite fireworks in Germany, the ongoing debate underscores the complexities and shifting perspectives on this issue.
The 2022 minimal fireworks display appears to be a reflection of a broader societal shift, incorporating public health concerns alongside environmental ones. The DUH’s campaign and the ongoing discussions surrounding regulations across different German cities suggest that the future of New Year’s Eve fireworks in Germany remains uncertain and will likely continue to be a topic of heated debate in the years to come. The quieter celebrations of 2022 may foreshadow a future where the traditional, large-scale firework displays are replaced by more environmentally conscious and public-health friendly alternatives.
