There were fewer public fireworks displays around Norway on New Year’s Eve, because of most local authorities’ reluctance to assemble crowds of spectators. Nearly 70 percent of Norwegians, meanwhile, are skeptical towards sales of fireworks to private individuals, according to a new survey.
News bureau NTB reports that fully 40 percent of those questioned in the survey conducted by research firm Norstat for the labour organization Nito (Norges Ingeniør- og Teknologorgansasjon) fully agree that fireworks should be banned in Norway. They cite the risk of fires and personal injuries.
Another 28 percent are also inclined towards a ban on fireworks sales in Norway. “Every year, people are injured by fireworks and both big and large fires are set off,” Kjetil Lein of Nito told NTB. “This keeps happening even though people have become better at using protective gear and it’s now forbidden to shoot up most rockets.”
Sales of fireworks during this past New Year’s holiday literally skyrocketed, an increase that fireworks sales representatives link to the end of a year plagued by the Corona virus and a desire to celebrate. They also noted that families’ needs to celebrate alone this year set off more sales.
The Norwegian Fireworks Association claimed that most New Year’s celebrants head outdoors at the stroke of midnight and want to see fireworks. They also note that the vast majority of small communities can’t offer public displays of fireworks, sparking demand for pyrotechnics on an individual basis.
newsinenglish.no staff
