The head of the Association of the Pyrotechnic Industry (VPI), Klaus Gotzen, has warned against a general ban on firework sales in Germany. “A ban on the legal sale of fireworks in Germany would be counterproductive” he said to the T-Online portal on Thursday.
“We always see that severe injuries come from either illegally purchased fireworks from neighboring countries or illegal self-made ones. With a ban, the black market would only grow bigger, and control would be much harder” Gotzen added.
The industry representative considers a ban to be not enforceable. “The client base that already buys illegal fireworks will not be impressed by a ban” he said. “These groups of people will still set off illegal fireworks in the future.”
Gotzen considers the fireworks that are allowed in Germany and can be legally purchased to be very safe. “Legal firework bodies are tested, undergo numerous tests. Even with improper handling, for example, of a firecracker, one can only burn oneself, not lose a finger. It’s hardly safer than that” said the VPI chief.
Instead of the debate about a ban on firecrackers, Gotzen demands a stronger cooperation of all parties involved. “We in the industry already clarify the risks of illegal fireworks and work with the authorities to dry up the black market” he said. “We also see that the number of confiscations of illegal fireworks has increased in recent years. However, probably more needs to be done to put a stop to the illegal trade: more control and better coordination between customs, police, and investigation authorities can help. We would be happy to support that” said Gotzen.