The president of the German Medical Association, Reinhardt, has called for a ban on private fireworks during the New Year’s celebrations. He emphasized that fireworks annually cause serious injuries, frighten people and pets, harm the climate, and generate large amounts of waste. Reinhardt suggests that fireworks should be organized only at central public locations, considering the safety and social maturity of society. He also highlighted the distress fireworks cause to war refugees in Germany, many of whom suffer from trauma related to explosive devices. The Police Union (GdP) supports the ban, citing frequent attacks on police officers with fireworks, backed by a petition with over two million signatures. The Federal Environment Agency reports that fireworks add about 2,050 tons of fine particulate matter to the air each year, significantly raising pollution levels on New Year’s Day. Meanwhile, the Netherlands plans a nationwide ban on private fireworks starting in 2026/2027, primarily due to rising violence against emergency workers during New Year’s Eve.

Source: https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/aerztepraesident-reinhardt-verlangt-boellerverbot-100.html