We often get the question whether buying visco wick is prohibited? Whether you are allowed to own it and what about the online supply of visco wick. In this blog post we will provide all the answers to your questions.
Current situation
At the end of 2022 it was often on the news. The police who visited buyers and sellers of the infamous visco wick. It caused a lot of confusion about the rules for buying and selling the green viscose wick.
Clear rules are not (yet) to be found. However, the wick of fireworks is already installed in the product from the factory, and it is seen by the police as a sale for lengthen and adjust fireworks. Sending or receiving by post is prohibited. Because this article is seen as a prohibited article (for private individuals), the possession of visco wick is of course not allowed.
If you are not aware of these rules before, the call from the police is to hand in the fuse to prevent further problems.
What is Viscose Wick?
As briefly described above, visco-wick is the piece of (green) wick that is connected to the (consumer) fireworks. Also called the ignition fuse. The fuse is almost always green in color but can also have a red color. The wick has an ignition speed of 1 centimeter per second.
Viscous wick is sometimes also subject to sub-names such as: safety wick or delay wick. However, these are not official terms and extending a firework fuse is not necessarily safer.
Can viscous wick be sold online?
Visco wick may not be sold to consumers, nor may it be sent or received by post. This makes selling viscose wick online illegal. Since the end of 2022, the police have also been actively looking for buyers and sellers of the green viscose wick.
From October 17, 2016, a new Fireworks Decree came into force, this new law describes the following:
Article 4
1 - It is prohibited to offer pyrotechnic articles belonging to category P1 to the general public, except when pyrotechnic articles for vehicles are installed in a vehicle or in a removable vehicle part.
2 - It is prohibited to sell or otherwise make pyrotechnic articles belonging to category P1 available to consumers under the age of 18.
In addition, selling or buying the viscose wick is prohibited if this is done to private individuals who do not have official documents with pyrotechnics as a profession.
Conclusion
Buying, possessing, sending and receiving viscose wick is not allowed in the Netherlands. If you bought this fuse and you did not know that it was punishable, the call from the police is to hand in the fuse to prevent further problems.
There is no legal alternative to viscose wick. However, as a lighter webshop we always recommend to use the fireworks products in the original condition and according to the instructions for use. You can always use one for extra security long lighter to increase the distance between the fireworks.
Source: Trader and buyer visco-wick addressed | politie.nl , London - Wikipedia.
Read also: Frequently asked questions about lighters - PyroProducts.nl
