The ILT tested a total of forty fountains, crackling pellets and flash tablets. Of these, 37.5 percent failed the inspection. These products must be removed from the market and destroyed.
These are fireworks in the F1 category, which can be sold all year round. Popular products such as sparklers and crackers are also included. “But we did not include them in the tests. We really looked at the riskiest fireworks based on our expertise,” explains a spokesperson for the ILT.
“We were shocked by that”
It was striking that two types of fountains exploded immediately. “We were shocked by that. We have never experienced that before. With other fireworks, the emissions turned out to be too high. That is dangerous, because burning parts are easily carried away by the wind.”
There is a high risk that these parts will end up on the clothing or skin of spectators or the person lighting the fireworks.
In addition, most children’s fireworks may contain a maximum of 7.5 grams of powder. Sometimes safety warnings were missing from the packaging. The ILT has ordered this to be repaired as quickly as possible.
Catching up
Last year, the ILT rejected no less than 65 percent of the tested children’s fireworks. “This year, significantly less. We cannot factually substantiate the decrease. It may be that the quality has improved. But we would prefer to have zero percent rejection – especially if you take into account that it is used by children and is available all year round,” says the Inspectorate.
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The ILT has another tip for parents and their children: “The list of rejected fireworks is on our site. It is of course possible that they have already been purchased before. It is wise to check this.”
Parting fuse and glasses
In addition, the Inspectorate advises to always handle all fireworks with care, including children’s fireworks. “Use a fuse and safety glasses. And hearing protection is also recommended for young children. What we tested concerns only a small part of the total range. It is impossible to check everything.”
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According to figures from SafetyNL, children aged 0–11 years (45 percent) and 12–15 years (23 percent) were mainly injured by F1 fireworks during the New Year.
The ILT checks throughout the year and focuses on fireworks that pose the greatest risk to people and the environment. These checks are carried out at importers, postal companies, at the border, in ports, along the road and at points of sale. The ILT often works together with customs and police.