Fireworks - A Menace to our Environment???
I love pyrotechnic displays. Sitting on my roof on a calm summer night, watching the sky burst into a colourful display of bright sparks. Then, I try to ignore the almost invisible residue floating into the air we breathe, coating buildings and trees in toxic dust. Is it worth the sacrifice?
I'm trying to champion the cause of environmental concern from a logical stand point. You won't see me hugging trees in an attempt to save the forest, but I can't deny that all of us can relate to the unnecessary degradation of natural nature. So, stay with me and then make your call. I've stopped using fireworks for other reasons, but this would have been enough to get me to think twice before sending that rocket shooting into the night sky:
- Toxic heavy metals, like mercury, radioactive barium, antimony, copper, strontium and phosphorus are used for the colour effect. Heavy metal fallout, after fireworks explode pose an unhealthy threat to humans, animals, and nature.
- People suffering from asthma are especially affected by the fine toxic dusts of the smoke from fireworks, which can easily enter the lungs. The manufacturing process of producing fireworks, the energy required to isolate and combine all the ingredients contributes to pollution as well.
- Fireworks are noisy. Thankfully, late-night fused bomb explosions are saved for Diwali. Are firework users so inconsiderate that they don't care about disturbing people trying to meet the basic human need of uninterrupted sleep?
- Fireworks leave a trace of unwanted litter behind. One has to feel sorry for the MCH workers cleaning up the mess on our roads.
- Here's an interesting list I copied from an online source:
Toxic Element - Toxic Effect of Fallout Dust & Fumes Lead Nitrate/Dioxide/Chloride (oxidizer) - bioaccumulation,
developmental danger for kids & unborn babes, may remain
airborne for days, poisonous to plants & animalsBarium (glittering greens) - extremely poisonous, radioactive Lithium (blazing reds) - slightly toxic Rubidium (purple colors) - slightly radioactive, can replace calcium in body Strontium (blazing reds) - can replace calcium in body, can be radioactive Copper compounds (blues) - dioxin pollution Aluminum (brilliant whites) - contact dermatitis Ammonium Perchlorate (propellant) - can contaminate ground & surface waters,
can disrupt thyroid functionsCadmium (firework colors) - extremely toxic, carcinogenic, can bioaccumulate Potassium Nitrate (black powder) - toxic dusts, carcinogenic sulfur-coal compounds Sulfur Dioxide (gaseous byproduct of sulfur combustion) - Acid rain from
sulphuric acid affects water sources, vegetation & causes property damage
I could go on about the safety aspect, but this is a good start. There is a need to educate people and create an awareness. I understand the need to celebrate religious festivals like Diwali. Restrict your firework usage. There are other alternate, better options, such as environmentally friendly laser light shows or parades. If you have to let go of those rockets, use compressed air to launch the fireworks instead of gunpowder.
A common rebuttal to such articles is a diverting of attention. I've heard people say, "Yeah, but cars pollute the environment more than fireworks, are you going to stop using cars?", or, "That's silly, fireworks don't affect the bigger picture, i.e., climate change and depletion of the ozone layer". Ok, the effects of using fireworks is more direct. We all hear about global warming and climate change, but we don't always see the direct affect of these phenomena.
Fireworks, on the other hand contribute to the smog you breathe daily - the heavy cloud of harmful toxins surrounding us at dusk.
Cars and bikes are a necessary evil today. We can do without fireworks, though. It's alright now, we can continue living in our present state of apathy, but your children and future generations might have to wear protective masks and oxygen tanks everytime they leave home.
