Is time up for backyard fireworks? UK ministers weigh partial ban over noise concerns

As the nights draw in, the season of sparklers begins, with Diwali, Bonfire Night and New Year’s Eve among the occasions typically celebrated with fireworks. But if campaigners get their way, this could be the last blast for bangers in the back yard.

In January concerns about the noise and availability of fireworks were aired in a parliamentary debate, with two petitions clocking up more than 180,000 signatures each, while earlier this month the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade closed a consultation on proposals including making louder fireworks only available to professional users.

Harriet Main, a public affairs manager at the RSPCA, said the charity was thrilled by the consultation: “For too long, pets, wildlife, and livestock have suffered from stress, fright and severe injury caused by loud unregulated back-yard DIY displays.

“Public appetite for change is overwhelming: the RSPCA hosted its own online action to help supporters submit their views to the consultation, and this generated over 51,000 responses eager to speak up for animals. This extraordinary turnout demonstrates just how deeply people across Britain care about protecting animals from the devastating impacts of unnecessarily loud fireworks.”

In recent years there have been reports of a host of animal fatalities linked to fireworks, from the death of a baby red panda at Edinburgh zoo to a dachshund in North Yorkshire.

Ministers have ruled out a complete ban on the public buying fireworks. Instead, their proposals include expanding the list of fireworks banned for general sale and reducing the permitted decibel level of consumer fireworks from 120dB to 110dB, meaning their loudness would be approximately halved.

Dr Gwen Rees, the president of the British Veterinary Association, said vets were acutely aware of the fear, distress, injury and lasting anxiety fireworks caused to animals in the UK each year. “Lower noise limits would reduce one of the main causes of firework-related distress while allowing celebrations to continue,” she said. “But quieter fireworks are not a complete solution. Flashes and unpredictable timing can still affect animals, so clearer labelling, responsible use, tighter controls on sales and private use, and better public awareness are also essential to protect animal welfare.”

A tightening of regulations has been backed by organisations including the National Farmers’ Union, which has cited animal welfare concerns and fire risks in relation to private firework displays. “One member reported losing around four acres of wheat after a firework landed in a standing crop during harvest,” the NFU noted.

Changes to pyrotechnics and fireworks regulations will be made as soon as parliamentary time allows after analysis of the feedback from the consultation, the government said, adding that there would be a six-month “transitional period” after the law was changed.

However, the British Fireworks Assocation has pushed back, noting that many of the behaviours that frustrate communities – such as setting off fireworks in a public place or after 1am – are already illegal, and that removing large numbers of legal and regulated products from the consumer market might push people towards finding hidden-market fireworks and pyrotechnics.

Recent efforts to tackle the use of fireworks and pyrotechnics in Scotland – including the introduction of “firework control zones” where the devices are banned – have had a mixed reception.

Helen Whitelegg, the campaigns manager at the charity Redwings Horse Sanctuary, said: “We believe the zones create a two-tier system of protection where they are put in place and risk pushing more use of fireworks to the surrounding areas.”

She added: “We are aware that the widely anticipated step of introducing a licencing requirement for anyone using fireworks has been shelved due to lack of resources and there is no indication when this part of the legislation is likely to be brought in.”

But it is not only the UK where firework fervour has cooled. In the Netherlands a countrywide ban on most consumer fireworks came into effect in August, while Czechia has also tightened its regulations. On 29 November, Swiss citzens will have their say on proposals to ban noisy fireworks.

In Germany, there is already a limited window in which fireworks can be bought or used, while there are also bans on fireworks in some zones and near certain facilities. Even then, there are calls for stronger regulations, with one survey suggesting almost half of those polled were in favour of a total ban, with exceptions only for very small fireworks such as sparklers.

Whitelegg said that among other measures, Redwings backed a reduction in the maximum loudness of fireworks to 90dB, as is the case in New Zealand, noting that while a Dutch-style ban would be preferable, the use of low-noise fireworks presented a practical compromise.

“I think the direction of travel does suggest that change is inevitable,” she said. “And because of what we’re seeing in other countries, it’s not unique to the UK by any stretch of the imagination.”