27 November 2025

Government issues updated petition response

Redwings has welcomed the Government’s revised response to our petition asking for the maximum noise level of fireworks to be reduced from 120 to 90 decibels.


While we fully support the Department for Business and Trade’s commitment to engaging further with relevant charities, businesses and organisations on this issue, Redwings believes the statement doesn’t go far enough to acknowledge the number and scale of severe, sometimes tragic incidents that can be linked to very loud fireworks in particular.


The current maximum noise level of fireworks available to consumers is 120dB, which is is at the upper limit of what has been determined as a safe level for human hearing with very limited exposure. However, this doesn’t take into account the effect on hearing of other species, including horses, whose ears are believed to increase the decibel level by 10 – 20dB. It also doesn’t take into account that very loud noises are not necessarily enjoyable just because they may not be causing actual physical harm.


The safety of noise exposure is also determined by the distance from the firework. Category 3 fireworks usually require spectators to be at least 15 metres from where fireworks are let off. This may not be possible in many smaller areas such as back gardens, particularly as the average garden size in the UK has decreased markedly in recent years.


Low-noise fireworks are already widely available but there is little incentive for people to use them. The government states that low-noise fireworks are promoted in their recent campaign, but there was just one mention of low-noise fireworks in their campaign assets, linking use of low-noise fireworks to help people with sensory difficulties. In their shareable social media posts around the impact of fireworks on animals, the emphasis once again was on the responsibility of owners to keep their pets, horses and livestock safe. As we have shown emphatically in our Protecting Horses from Fireworks report, and as has been demonstrated in many recent upsetting experiences owners have shared, knowing when fireworks will be let off nearby is always preferable to not knowing, but the reality is that owners are very limited even then in the steps they can take to keep their horses safe, particularly when very loud devices are used.


We are keen to secure the parliamentary debate that is needed to discuss the many issues around fireworks in more detail and look forward to sharing a date as soon as we can. 
 

Redwings communications team logo

Redwings Press Office

For all enquiries please contact lplumtree@redwings.co.uk

Find out more about Redwings Press Office

Behaviour
Fireworks awareness
Impact
News
Sanctuary
Welfare
National
Statements
Redwings Press Office

View related news

View all related news

UPDATED: An open letter to Colchester Rugby Club
Kirsty with rehomed horse Bert

Tributes paid to animal welfare hero
Flooding at Mountains, horses in barns

Statement on Storm Babet and Redwings Mountains

UPDATED: An open letter to Colchester Rugby Club

Kirsty with rehomed horse Bert

Tributes paid to animal welfare hero

Flooding at Mountains, horses in barns

Statement on Storm Babet and Redwings Mountains

View all related news
Back to top