SUSANNE WENGER The Swiss Abroad will remember: rockets, firework volcanoes and firecrackers go with 1 August like mustard and bratwurst at a garden barbecue. New Year’s Eve has also become something of a pyrotechnic event in Switzerland in recent years. About 2,000 tonnes of fireworks are set off every year – twice as much as 20 years ago, according to a study by the Federal Office for the Environment from 2014. Up to 600 different fireworks are available. “Fireworks are an expression of joie de vivre,” says Linda Feller, owner of Berne fireworks store “Stärnehimu” (dialect for “starry sky”). As with any tradition, some people identify with it more than others, explains Feller. Admittedly, the noise is a disturbance before and after the public holiday, but “a great number of people” enjoy the vivid flashes of light, she argues. Fireworks create “unforgettable moments” at local 1 August celebrations, weddings, anniversaries and birthdays. However, fans and suppliers are under pressure. A growing number of municipalities are curbing or banning the use of fireworks. Particularly so in the canton of Grisons, where every third municipality has issued a ban in recent years, including tourist hotspots Davos, Pontresina and St. Moritz. The reasons given for the bans are the protection of domestic and wild animals as well as of the natural environment. Animals “in panic” The whole country may soon follow suit. In November 2023, a committee Fireworks: are they worth the stress to animals and the environment? People love to let off fireworks on 1 August, Swiss National Day. At the same time, the practice is coming in for growing criticism: animals, people and the environment are impacted by them. A popular initiative now aims to introduce a ban on the use of loud fireworks by private individuals. submitted a popular initiative calling for restrictions in the use of fireworks. Over 137,000 people signed it. The initiative calls for a ban on the sale and use of loud fireworks. Quieter variants, such as cones, sparklers or Roman candles would still be allowed. Professional fireworks for inter-regional events would be allowed with a permit. Private individuals are behind the initiative. They are supported by various organisations including Swiss Animal Protection, BirdLife Switzerland, Lärmliga Schweiz, Pro Natura and Fondation Franz Weber. “Loud fireworks spread fear and panic among pets, livestock and wild animals,” says Simon Hubacher of Swiss Animal Protection. The sudden bang triggers great stress, which the animals cannot cope with, he says. Farm First a bright fireball, then a loud bang: the popular initiative calling for restrictions on private fireworks is mainly opposed to the noise they make. Public fireworks displays, such as this one in Nyon in 2022, would remain permitted. Photo: Keystone 9 Society
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