Petit Parisien - Wildlife Groups Push for 90dB Firework Limit to Prevent Animal Harm

Wildlife campaigners are urging the UK government to drastically reduce the maximum noise level of consumer fireworks from the proposed 110 decibels to 90 decibels, citing severe stress and harm to wild animals.

The Center for Wild Animal Welfare (CWAW) argues that the government’s current proposal to lower the limit from 120 to 110 decibels does not go far enough to prevent harm to wildlife.

The CWAW states that reducing the noise cap to 90 decibels would decrease the area disturbed by each firework by approximately 100 times compared to the government’s plan. Richard Parr, the organization’s director, explained that sound travels significant distances, with loud fireworks capable of penetrating up to 10 kilometers. Because decibels operate on a logarithmic scale, each 10-decibel reduction reduces the affected area by a factor of ten.

"There’s no reason to think that wild animals would be any less affected than pets," Parr said. He noted that while public awareness exists regarding the distress fireworks cause to domestic animals, there is insufficient recognition of their impact on wildlife. "It might even be worse because it’s completely unnatural. It’s surprising, stressing, and disturbing for their natural rhythms of life to be suddenly and very unexpectedly disrupted. Particularly for prey animals, who have evolved to be cautious and are naturally jumpy, these random, unannounced bangs are terrifying."

The government recently concluded a consultation on proposals to halve the loudness of fireworks by lowering the limit from 120 decibels to 110 decibels. However, the CWAW contends that this measure fails to address the full scope of the problem. The organization highlights that mass temporary displacement and fatal collisions among birds are common consequences of firework displays.

Rebecca Machin, a wildlife expert at the RSPCA, expressed support for the CWAW’s concerns. She noted that fireworks and their debris can disturb a wide range of wild animals, particularly birds, leading to suffering and distress. Impacts vary based on distance and noise level but can include disrupted migration patterns, elevated stress hormones, and physical hazards from leftover debris.

Research indicates that birds are especially vulnerable during firework events. On New Year’s Day in 2025, more than 1,000 birds were found dead near a hiking trail in Bulgaria, located just over a kilometer from a fireworks site. The birds had panicked and flown into trees and each other.

The government’s consultation followed concerns raised in a parliamentary debate in January, where two petitions regarding firework noise and availability garnered more than 180,000 signatures each. In addition to the noise limit, the consultation examined expanding the list of fireworks banned from general sale and reviewing rules on lower-risk products, including the potential removal of age limits for Christmas crackers.

New Zealand introduced a 90-decibel limit on consumer fireworks in 2008. The country also reduced the number of days fireworks could be sold and raised the minimum purchase age from 14 to 18, aligning with the UK and most other nations.

The UK government consultation noted concerns that a 90-decibel limit might be difficult to define precisely in legislation, potentially allowing the noise testing system to be gamed. In response to calls for stricter limits, a spokesperson for the British Fireworks Association stated that while they take wildlife disturbance seriously, they do not believe the case has been made for reducing the limit to 90 decibels.

"Any change should be based on clear evidence of its likely benefits and take account of unintended consequences, including the risk of people turning to illegal fireworks," the spokesperson said. The association favors better enforcement of existing laws alongside a national campaign to encourage safe and considerate use of fireworks.

K.Benard--PP