Fireworks

Fireworks

Fireworks are becoming an increasingly popular method of marking a public or private celebration, and the fireworks industry is growing each year as a result.

The increasing use of fireworks in the UK brings with it issues that must be addressed, because as well as producing colourful displays of light, fireworks also emit noise and a number of air pollutants.

Effects of Fireworks

Noise
Unwanted sound is known as noise, and noise from fireworks can frighten both people and animals alike. Noise also has the potential to affect your health if you are exposed to it for frequent, prolonged periods of time, or to intense extreme blasts of sound. It is for this reason that noise is always something to consider when planning the use of fireworks, however large or small the display.

Air Pollution
Fireworks produce a number of pollutants, namely carbon dioxide, sulphur compounds, particulate matter, metal oxides and organic compounds. These pollutants will accumulate in built-up areas and especially when weather conditions are poor. So when planning a fireworks display, the location and weather conditions (in particular wind direction and strength) should always be taken into account.

Fireworks and the Law

The Fireworks Regulations 2004

No category 3 firework producing in excess of 120dB is to be for sale to the public
No person shall supply fireworks unless licenced and meeting the conditions of their licence
No firework is to be set off between 11pm and 7am the following day
Additional controls are in place for the sale and use of fireworks for celebrating 5 November, 31 December, Chinese New Year and Diwali (see table 1)
No person under the age of 18 shall possess a firework in a public place
No person shall possess a category 4 firework unless permitted under the regulations
Where fireworks are for sale, a notice must be displayed saying that it is illegal to sell fireworks to persons under the age of 18, and for them to be in possession of fireworks in a public place
The Fireworks Regulations 2004 are enforced by the police, so any contraventions of the above points need to be reported to the police accordingly

Table 1

	Sale	Permitted Use
5 Nov	15/10 – 10/11	11pm – midnight
31 Dec	26/12 – 31/12	11pm – 1am
Diwali	Diwali + 3 days after	11pm – 1am
Chinese New Year	New Year + 3 days after	11pm – 1am

Firework Categories
There are 4 firework categories, these are described below.

Category	Type	Use
1	Indoor fireworks	Restricted areas (ie indoors)
2	Garden fireworks	Limited areas (ie gardens)
3	Display fireworks	Open areas (ie fields)
4	Professional fireworks	Large open areas

What can be done if fireworks are causing a problem?

The police are responsible for enforcing the Fireworks Regulations 2004, and so must be notified if you suspect that an offence has been committed.

The Council can serve an abatement notice under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Part III Statutory Nuisance. This is if an investigation shows that the relevant nuisance criteria are met for the frequency, severity and/or duration of the noise. However this is only an option if the complainant can correctly identify the address of the alleged offender. Otherwise no investigation into the complaint can normally be made.

The Council and the police have the power to serve an anti-social behaviour order on the person(s) responsible, under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 if the relevant criteria are met.

Guidance For Firework Displays

There are ways of avoiding the need for legal intervention: