Thursday 19 December 2024
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Talks to take place around fireworks restrictions

Talks to take place around fireworks restrictions

Thursday 19 December 2024

Talks to take place around fireworks restrictions

Thursday 19 December 2024


Significant work would need to take place to bring in any fresh restrictions on fireworks, Environment & Infrastructure has said.

It was answering questions from Deputy Lester Queripel about what discussions it had about only allowing silent fireworks to be used in Guernsey.

A survey by the GSPCA after Bonfire Night this year received 2,213 responses in just two weeks after what it described as the "busiest firework period for displays over the longest period that anyone can remember".

Of those, 1,799 said that firework laws are not strict enough.

"While the committee is mindful of and sympathetic to concerns in the community, and while officers continue to monitor developments in firework technology, the committee is also mindful of the need to focus its finite resources first and foremost on the States of Guernsey's agreed priorities, which do not currently include changes to fireworks legislation," said E&I President Lindsay De Sausmarez.

"This would be quite a significant piece of work to undertake. Fireworks are unlikely to constitute a statutory nuisance, so if legislation is prioritised, it is most likely to be addressed from an animal welfare point of view.

"The committee continues to listen to advice from officers and animal welfare charities. The President is due to meet with the States Vet, Director of Environmental Health and Pollution Regulation, and representatives from the 'PAWS' Protection Project (a dedicated project promoting animal welfare and education) at the end of December 2024. This discussion will include the use of silent fireworks."

The States provides al ist of firework displays on its website when people submit the information, but many people are not aware it exists according to the GSPCA survey.

Public and private displays were listed to have taken place from 1 to 8 November this year, despite Environment Health urging private events to be kept to Bonfire Night of 5 November.

A petition in the UK for tighter regulations of fireworks, including reducing the decibel limit from 120 to 97, collected more than a million signatures.

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