Zutphen locals and flower sellers are accusing their local council of being killjoys for banning floral gifts for deserving citizens because of the damage to the environment, the Telegraaf reported on Tuesday.

Councillors narrowly voted in favour of a motion from the pro-animal PvdD which called for a ban, arguing that every bunch produces 4 kilos of CO2.

The figure is based on research carried out by Flemish sustainability organisation De Transformisten which estimated emissions by the Dutch flower industry to be some 2.4 megatonnes of CO2.

The Netherlands also imports flowers from countries where pesticides are used that are banned in Europe, the council said. In addition, home-grown flowers are sometimes treated with harmful chemicals and pesticides have been shown to play a role in the development of Parkinson’s disease.

Local florists were dismayed by the decision, the paper wrote. “It is such a shame that we will be losing the council as a major customer. And it’s unnecessary to stop making people happy with our flowers,” said Josepha Liefers, owner of the Klavertuin flower shop.

Liefers said the council should have dug a bit deeper to find out how florists get their blooms. “I am a sustainable florist and at auctions I look for the MPS (More Profitable Sustainability) label. And I never buy flowers that have to be flown in from far-flung countries,” she told the paper.

“Normal things are increasingly being seen as not normal, such as fireworks and eating meat at council events,” said CDA councillor Mark Purperhart. “I believe many people in Zutphen don’t feel represented by the decisions made by this council.”

The council argues that there are plenty of alternatives to flowers such as dried flowers, baskets of organically grown fruit and boxes of sustainably produced chocolates.

Council officials will still be able to send flowers to funerals.