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Why Ban the Bang! is not a "killjoy" campaign

For those few of you who think that this firework campaign is designed to spoil people's fun then read on:

This campaign represents a balanced proposal to allow the public to enjoy a gentler display of fireworks - approximately one or two days a year without adversely affecting animals, wildlife and the general community.

Although some voters say they want an outright ban to all fireworks - full stop - Ban the Bang! recognises that such demands are unenforceable and perhaps extreme. However, these emotional reactions are totally understandable when considering the years of hell many people have had to suffer due to the use of unsociable, loud fireworks - upsetting the peace of their community along with the devastating affects to animals and the environment.

Ban The Bang! would even consider inviting firework manufacturers to work with this campaign to produce animal / wildlife / community friendly firework boxes for home garden use. Just gentle fireworks, which still have a great visual appeal, but which pose no threat to animals … and the general local community.

Why can't people at home have fun with the spectacle of fireworks on one or two days a year without blasting everything around them senseless by noise equivalent to real bombs and explosives?

The general proposals of Ban The Bang! are:

1. Ban the private use of fireworks and public displays except for three festival days per year (plus Saturday nearest to each festival day). (I.e. in UK, November 5th, New Year and Diwali)

2. Fireworks that bang and rise more than 2 metres (average garden fence height) would be banned outright for use by the public. Only bang-free ground based fireworks (with a dispersal range of no more than 2 metres) could be sold to / used by the public - and only sold for two weeks prior to festival days (see 1.).

3. Outside of festival days - the public would be able to apply for a private party / wedding reception licence (restricted to one licence per household per year). With this one-day licence, the licence holder would be able to purchase no-bang ground fireworks from licensed all-year firework shops. (These shops will not be allowed to supply loud / aerial fireworks to the general public at any time - see 2.)

4. Sensible restrictions should also apply to professionally organized public displays. For example, enforcing a maximum threshold on noise:
No public firework displays louder than 85db.
Locations of displays must be carefully planned (and revised), whereby they can only take place in open, strictly designated areas least likely to affect wildlife. Displays must be a minimum distance of around 1.5 km from rural habitat areas such as trees, woodlands, heathlands etc. and at least 2km from stables, zoos and farm animal locations.

Ban the Bang! is confident that such proposals would satisfy "outright ban" voters and pro-firework members of the public - as well as firework manufacturers and suppliers.

A Note to UK, European and other "Firework Active" Countries.
The UK and similar temperate regions are, in fact lucky to be able to use fireworks at all. There are many areas of Australia and USA etc where fireworks are totally banned. This is due to fire risk in more arid areas of these countries.
However, the UK, for example, enjoys a moist climate, which poses less threat to fires caused by fireworks. But ... this shouldn't mean the UK has the right to exercise irresponsible use of such extreme fireworks, which can be likened to dangerous weapons. Would you aim and fire a bazooka gun just metres away from a harmless animal - or child? So why do the equivalent with a 120 decibel "aerial bomb"?

A BAN The BANG! environmentally friendly firework display.

If you are organising a home firework party, Ban the Bang! strongly encourages you to make it an environmentally friendly display.
Choose only NOISE-FREE GROUND FIREWORKS.
Even though it may be a noisless display be courteous to your neighbours by warning them that you are going to use fireworks, so that pets are brought in. Even the sight of noiseless fireworks can cause pets to run away and get lost.
Why not set up a small sound system and play soothing music that harmonises with the peaceful spectacle of colours and patterns from your noiseless fireworks?

Suggestion to Firework Manufacturers:
Why not create environmentally friendly firework box sets, based on "themes" to accompany styles of music?

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What Else Can You Do To Help?

A firework code to help animals and birds.
During firework celebrations, only buy fireworks that don't pose a threat to wildlife. I.e. nothing that bangs or screams and no aerial fireworks like rockets or starbursts.
If you have lots of trees in your garden then it's not a good idea to have any kind of aerial type fireworks. Birds are quietly roosting in trees all around you at night. Just because you can't hear or see them doesn't mean they don't exist after sunset!
Never allow your pet outside during firework celebrations. If you have animals in hutches outside and can't move them indoors, then cover the hutches with heavy blankets. This will help reduce the noise and the animal should also remain undisturbed by flashing lights. Keep cats and dogs indoors, close windows and blinds and create an audible diversion for them, like turning on some music - this should be reasonably loud but soothing sounds to try and divert the animal's attention from the outside).
If available in your country, get your cat or dog microchipped. As we have already mentioned many cats and dogs run away from home in a panic when there are fireworks around and tend to get lost. With a microchip implant it's far easier to reunite an animal with its owner.
Keep an eye out for animals and birds in shock that may have fallen from trees. In most cases human intervention will add to the animals distress and we recommend you keep a watchful distance from the animal / bird and make sure no one else goes near it. If the animal continues to behave in a shocked state for more than three or four hours or is clearly injured then you should alert your local animal welfare organization as soon as possible. They will send someone to investigate further.
If you are aware of any incidents involving the suffering of any animals through the use of fireworks then please use our contact page

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