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Carbide shooting is still allowed: how dangerous is that? (and five more questions) | NOW

In (in any case) safety regions IJsselland and North and East Gelderland, carbide shooting is allowed during the turn of the year, if the corona measures allow it by then. Indeed, tradition does not fall under it general fireworks ban to relieve worry. Why is carbide shooting not covered? And does carbide shooting still lead to pressure on healthcare?

What exactly is carbide shooting?

In carbide shooting, a tradition that has continued on the national heritage list a milk can is filled with carbide and water, creating an explosive gas. By holding a flame near the milk can, an explosion occurs and a ball (or the lid) flies off the milk can with noise.

Why should carbide shooting continue?

Carbide shooting is not covered by the so-called fireworks decree, which sets out the rules for possession and setting off fireworks. Legally speaking, carbide shooting is not fireworks.

Contrary to the fireworks decree, carbide shooting is regularly included in the general local ordinance drawn up by municipalities. For example, people who want to shoot carbide must first report this in most municipalities in the eastern and northern Netherlands.

How dangerous is it?

Carbide shooting entails safety risks, writes the Dutch Safety Board (pdf). The lid or ball can be caught too hard in the opening of the can, causing it to explode. Also, damage or injury can be caused by lids or balls being shot off the can.

SafetyNL, knowledge center for injury prevention, therefore does not see carbide shooting as a safe alternative to fireworks. “The figures show that carbide shooting involves great risks,” said a spokesperson in conversation with NU.nl. “We get reports of injuries such as burns and fractures every year.”

How many casualties are due to carbide shooting?

Of the 1,300 people who ended up with fireworks or similar injuries to an emergency room or a GP station last New Year, 6 percent of the victims were injured as a result of carbide shooting. That comes down to 78 victims, according to figures from VeiligheidNL.

The carbide shooters are therefore only a small part of the total number of ‘fireworks victims’, but it must be borne in mind that carbide shooting is (until now) not nearly as popular as setting off ‘real’ fireworks. However, it is not known how many people in total are working on it during an average turn of the year.

Is the popularity of carbide shooting growing now that fireworks are banned?

Suppliers have noticed that sales have increased since the safety region’s rulings compared to last year. This is also the case with carbide supplier OAF Holland. “More orders are being placed, especially in the east of the country, but we expect to deliver more to the rest of the Netherlands soon,” said a spokesman. “It is a beautiful tradition that we are now breathing new life into throughout the Netherlands.”

Does that lead to new pressure on healthcare?

Annemarie van der Velden, chair of the Dutch Association of Emergency Care Physicians, says she is not worried in conversation with NU.nl. “Carbide shooting causes only a small part of the fireworks injury and is mainly local. And when it becomes more popular, it will still not be large numbers. In cities like Amsterdam they are really not going to do it en masse.”

Whether her expectation is correct, remains to be seen for the time being. Indeed, it is not self-evident that a lot more Dutch people will shoot carbide. However, we have never (in recent history) experienced a New Year’s Eve without fireworks, so there is simply no way to predict exactly how popular it will become this year. In addition, the other 23 security regions still have to make a decision about whether or not to allow the tradition. That too can influence the final amount of carbide shooters, and thus the number of victims.

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