Should Fireworks Be Banned?

by Lottie Allen

The earliest known fireworks originated from China (960-1279) to accompany festivals; they   believed that fireworks could expel evil spirits and encourage luck and happiness. Now, they are used widely and over 130 million fireworks are sold annually in Britain with one of the biggest occasions being Guy Fawkes Night on 5th November.

So, what is it that makes fireworks so appealing - the sounds, the colors, the ambience, or a combination of these things? The event itself has a celebratory feel; the excitement of venturing out after dark to watch an array of surreal lights accompanied by loud, expressive sounds is thrilling and exhilarating. It is an expression of art and science combined which has become a tradition.

However, they could be considered our ‘prettiest pollutant’. While they may appear to be harmless, the nature of fireworks is that they are explosive. They propel chemicals into the atmosphere which can be detrimental to humans and the environment. The colours emitted are made up of metallic compounds such as Barium or Aluminium. When the firework goes off, fragments are sent into the air and this metal particle pollution can linger for several days. This eventually dissipates to contaminate our soils and rivers, lakes or even drinking water.

In addition to this, oxygen is required to produce the explosion and is often provided in the form of oxidisers or perchlorates which are dissolved in water and will also end up in rivers or lakes. Furthermore, fireworks release a plume of smoke which affects the air quality. This year, the Guy Fawkes event caused five days of increased particle pollution problems and this reached the maximum level of ten on the UK air pollution scale in Chesterfield, Leeds, Sheffield, Stockton-on-Tees and York.

Some of these toxins never fully decompose or disintegrate and therefore, act as poisons to the environment. Exposure to these fine particles is associated with negative health implications, including: coughing, wheezing, asthma attacks and heart attacks. As well as this, many of the raw materials used to make fireworks affects forests and habitats.

In India, firework sales were banned after the severe smog which affected the Delhi region in 2016. However, this has since been relaxed to allow the sale of less polluting ‘green’ fireworks which do not contain metals such as Lead and Mercury. Similarly, there has been an increased emphasis in the UK on the use of newer and cleaner fireworks which replace perchlorates with safer alternatives or use compressed air in order to reduce the smoke generated.

Another possible solution could be found in Australia. In Sydney, the firework display was 100% carbon neutral - they were made from biodegradable paper which left no compounds or chemicals in the air. As well as this, any residual pollution was offset to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and eventers were also encouraged to attend by public transport or walking.