Krefeld is in the starting blocks: Fireworks New Year's Eve starts!

in Krefeld, packets with fireworks in the supermarkets are waiting for the sale. The free sale of rockets, firecrackers and batteries begins on Saturday, December 30, 2024. The fireworks industry recorded record income of 180 million euros at the turn of 2023/2024, whereby these income relates to legal fireworks with a CE sign that meet the EU-wide safety, health and environmental protection requirements.

In recent years, however, an increase in the use of fireworks can be observed without corresponding labels. The employees of the Krefeld main customs office monitor the situation to ensure that only legal products are sold, such as WZ reported .

high demand and legal regulations

The fireworks industry expects a high demand for New Year's Eve 2023, comparable to the record sales of 180 million euros in 2022. Klaus Gotzen, Managing Director of the Association of the Pyrotechnic Industry, described the demand as "huge" and referred to the high catching up after the pandemy years 2020 and 2021, in which fireworks were banned due to corona restrictions. Many cities and municipalities have set up for New Year's Eve 2023 Böller banks, including large cities such as Berlin, Hamburg and Munich to protect celebrations from injuries and buildings from fires.

A year-round ban on pyrotechnics near churches, hospitals, children's and old people's homes as well as thatch and half-timbered houses remains. In addition, the fireworks are criticized due to garbage, environmental, noise and health loads as well as the risk of injury. The industry has already taken steps to reduce environmental pollution by reducing the plastic proportion into packaging. It is estimated that 90 percent of the annual turnover of the industry will be generated on the three working days before New Year's Eve, such as Tagesschau reported .