Fireworks: The Beguiling Splendor in Festivity
During global-scaled events like New Year’s Eve, people worldwide flocked to cherish and relish the celebratory moment by watching glamorous fireworks display. Not only the Solar New Year celebration, more local-but-massive events like Diwali in India, Las Fallas in Spain, Independence Day in the USA, and Lantern Festival in the People’s Republic of China also utilize fireworks to enliven the atmosphere (Moreno et al., 2010).
The culture of fireworks and firecrackers is inherited from our ancestors roughly 1300 years ago (Han et al., 2019). The significance of fireworks in ceremonies varies between different traditions. In Chinese culture, for instance, noisy firecrackers and fireworks are believed to fend off evil spirits (Lai and Brimblecombe, 2020). Nowadays, however, they are commonly used for entertainment purposes.
In recent years, fireworks display has been a hot issue among the scientific community. The reason is that, besides safety concerns (Yao et al., 2019), macroscale firework displays may contribute to land, water, and air pollution (Devereux et al., 2022). Though primarily short-termed, the influx of pollutants caused by fireworks can cause severe health and environmental problems (Greven et al., 2019; Lai and Brimblecombe, 2020; Moreno et al., 2010).
Before we dwell deeper into this matter, we must understand which fireworks’ constituents are potential hazards.
The Anatomy of a Firework
Three critical components of a firework become our points of concern: the mortar, the charges, and the stars. First, mortars are usually made from wrapped paper, HDPE (high-density polyethylene), or steel. Plastic cones are sometimes added at the top of the shell to aid flight (Devereux et al., 2022). Second, the charges (propellants) are made of black powder, which consists of a fuel (usually charcoal), an oxidizer (nitrous compounds or potassium salts), and a stabilizer (sulphuric compounds). Lastly, the stars, which will explode into a mesmerizing display of colors, are made of metal salts. These metal salts are used as colorants, catalysts, or agents to trigger special effects (such as a whistling sound). The most commonly found metals in fireworks are barium (Ba), strontium (Sr), magnesium (Mg), lead (Pb), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), and chromium (Cr) (Liu et al., 2019; Moreno et al., 2010; Ontario Science Center, 2021).
When fireworks are used, the components listed above will lead to an elevated concentration of pollutants. The pollutants can be in the form of microplastics or particulate matter that may harm our environment. These compounds, especially air-borne ones, will cause serious health issues when inhaled by humans.
Why do these components become our points of interest? How dangerous are they? Let us see!
Aftermath of Firework Displays
For better scrutiny, let us classify the severe impacts caused by fireworks into three categories: terrestrial deterioration, waterways contamination, and atmospheric pollution.
Terrestrial Deterioration
Fireworks can produce a large amount of solid waste (Yao et al., 2019). When ignited, the black powder in fireworks undergoes a combustion reaction, releasing hot gases. The rapid expansion of these gases in the shell causes a sudden gas pressure build-up, resulting in an “explosion”. Consequently, the body and mortar will be torn apart during the process. Wrapped paper and plastic will then be discharged to land as waste.
Microplastics (MPs) resulting from the fireworks can cause a chain of detrimental effects (Amobonye et al., 2021). MPs can interact with organic substances in the soil, thus affecting the physiochemical characteristics and may pollute the groundwater. These may impact plant growth and productivity. Moreover, MPs can also harm soil fauna, such as earthworms, through various ways of toxicity mechanisms; this can disrupt the ecosystem.
Chemicals used in the fireworks, such as zinc oxide and ammonium oxalate, can be hazardous to microbial biodiversity. Dhasarathan et al. (2010) found a significant decline in the total heterotrophic bacterial population (THB) in pyrochemical-exposed soil samples. The THB in the soil sample reduced from 98 × 10⁷ CFU/g to 42 × 10⁴ CFU/g. The pollutants can also change the THB composition; for example, several microbes, such as Corynebacterium sp. and Micrococcus sp., were wiped out in pyrochemical-exposed soil.
Aquatic Contamination
Firework residues can enter the waterways or other bodies of water in two ways: when on-land firework wastes are washed away by rainwater or when fireworks are ignited near a body of water. The most common pollutants in waterways are microplastics (MPs). In research conducted by Devereux et al. (2022), there was a short-term increase in MPs concentration in the River Thames during and after the New Year’s Eve Celebration. The observed MPs, less than 5 mm in size, increased sharply from 21.7–44.3 pieces per liter of water to 510.3 pieces/L (1051% increase overall). These MPs concentrations, however, return to baseline values within the first 24 hours. Though the MPs pollution influx only occurs within a short time, it can still cause short- and long-term impacts.
MPs are known to be a “transport” media for toxic elements (Amobonye et al., 2021). This “adsorbent” characteristic of MPs increases their hazardous potential. MPs, along with their adsorbed toxic chemicals, can be ingested by a variety of aquatic organisms, thus causing an accumulation of microplastics in the food web. This phenomenon can endanger both aquatic organisms and humans; MPs are known to have the potential to disrupt cellular membranes and cause oxidative stress. Moreover, MPs inhibit the growth of microorganisms, such as bacteria and algae, thus affecting their roles in the ecosystem.
It was found that pyrochemical can also harm aquatic microbial biodiversity (Dhasarathan et al., 2010). There is also a remarkable reduction in THB in pyrochemical-exposed water samples. The THB in the water sample decreased from 38.6 × 10⁷ CFU/g to 5.6 × 10⁴ CFU/g. The composition of THB in the aquatic environment also changed, where Achromobacter sp. was not found in the pyrochemical-exposed water samples.
Atmospheric Pollution
Fireworks display can lead to an elevated level of pollutants, such as gaseous pollutants (sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides), particulate matter (PM 10 and PM 2.5), and water-soluble ions or metals. Short-term air quality deteriorations are observed in numerous celebrations worldwide.
According to Moreno et al. (2010), particulate matter in the form of metalliferous particles is elevated by the degrees of tens to thousands of µg/m³ after the Sant Joan Firework Fiesta in Spain. These metalliferous particles, predominantly strontium (Sr), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), copper (Cu), and lead (Pb), do not go back to the baseline pre-firework level even after a week. This happens because these metalliferous particles create a ‘reservoir’ that continues to contaminate the area for days.
Similar results were observed by Greven et al. (2019) during the New Year’s Eve celebration in the Netherlands, where the PM 10 concentration elevated from an average of 29 µg/m³ to an average of 143 µg/m³ (in a less populated area) and 598 µg/m³ (in a largely populated place) one hour after the celebration. Additionally, Liu et al. (2019), Yao et al. (2019), and Fan et al. (2021) also observed a peak in PM 2.5, toxic metalliferous particles, and SO₂ gas concentrations during celebrations (Chinese New Year, Lantern Festival, and Chinese National Day) in People’s Republic of China. The metalliferous particles found in these celebrations are similar to what was found after the Sant Joan Firework Fiesta in Spain, plus the addition of manganese (Mn) and chromium (Cr). Lastly, the same results are also observed by Kumar et al. (2016), where a nationwide increase in particulate concentrations is observed after Diwali in India.
Short-term air pollution can cause several adverse health effects, such as cardiovascular and respiratory illness (Fan et al., 2021; Greven et al., 2019; Han et al., 2019; Moreno et al., 2010; Yao et al., 2019). Several groups are more susceptible to the effects than others: elderly, infants, asthmatics patients, and people with a history of respiratory or cardiovascular disease.
Fireworks are reported to be a crucial source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). The PAHs are carcinogenic compounds, with the cancer risk reported to be 0.68 in 100,000 children and 3.3 in 100,000 adults. On the other hand, particulate matter, such as metalliferous particles, can cause both acute and long-term illness. They can damage the alveoli and induce changes in both lung and heart function. Moreover, asthma symptoms are often linked to one-hour exposure to PM 10 and a rising concentration of NO₂ from 30 µg/m³ to a brief peak of 40–70 µg/m³. In addition, strontium (Sr) particles, one of the most abundant metalliferous particles found after the fireworks display, can interfere with bone strength by replacing calcium in the bone, thus affecting the skeletal development of children and adolescents. Ultimately, particulate matter is also observed to result in Parkinson’s, dementia, cognitive impairment, and child-brain structural alterations.
Is there anything that we can do?
Preventive Measures
We have realized that the impacts of a fireworks display are very severe on the environment and human health. We can minimize the impact of air pollution on human health by wearing masks to prevent PMs from getting inhaled. However, this would not solve the issue; we must tackle it from its roots. In accordance with that, it is best to take preventive measures.
There are two ways to do so: by regulating the firework displays and substituting hazardous firework components with more eco-friendly and safe materials.
Regulation Enforcements
Many regulations and policies have been enacted worldwide to reduce firework pollution. For example,
- Cape Town, the capital of South Africa, has banned the use and sale of fireworks during festivals,
- Delhi, in India, has banned fireworks to severe air pollution (Fan et al., 2021),
- Several cities in the People’s Republic of China, such as Shanghai and Beijing, have implemented fireworks policies, such as banning fireworks in several places during festivals and limiting the licenses for selling and producing fireworks (Liu et al., 2019; Yao et al., 2019).
Several reports stated that fireworks regulations are proven to help with air quality. Fan et al. (2021) reported that after the enforcement of fireworks policies, the average concentration of PM 2.5 (during the festival) decreased at the rate of -13.8 µg/m³/year (-17.5%) in the urban area and -21.2 µg/m³/year (-20.4%) in suburban area. Furthermore, trace gases such as SO₂ also decrease at -2 µg/m³/year and -1.4 µg/m³/year in urban and suburban areas. The K+ ion concentrations in the air also decrease at -1.3 µg/m³/year. Besides the decline in air pollutant concentration, the accumulation of firework debris has also reduced (Lai and Brimblecombe, 2020). These positive impacts of firework regulations are linear with the decrease in firework sales.
Though is said to be quite effective, enforcing fireworks regulations is not enough. The most significant contributors to cancer and non-cancer risks showed no clear declining trend despite the fireworks regulations (Liu et al., 2019). Moreover, it would not be an easy journey to implement these policies. Principally, banning fireworks is against many accepted practices and cultural values. Consequently, there may be much opposition from merchants and other stakeholders. The law enforcers would also need to be vigilant over illegal fireworks sales.
Materials Substitution
Due to the complexity that may arise from implementing fireworks regulations, substitute materials that make fireworks less dangerous and more environmentally friendly have gained much attention from scientists (Fan et al., 2021).
Several methods of substitution that can be used are as follows.
- Sulfur-free propellants have been a promising alternative to reduce pollution. Researchers have developed more safe and more environmentally friendly propellants or unpacking powder, such as the sulfur-free propellants by Sun et al. (2017) and magnesium-, aluminum- and sulfur-free propellants by Han et al. (2019).
- Smokeless fireworks are also a notable alternative. Yu et al. (2012) suggested using expired military fuels, which also can be mixed with potassium perchlorate (KClO₄), for an environmentally friendly firework. However, safety concerns arise because of the potential destructive power if decomposition occurs. Hence, the handling during manufacture, transportation, use, and storage must receive greater attention.
- Colorants substitute is also a noteworthy option. As we have mentioned before, strontium (Sr) and chlorine (Cl) have detrimental effects on human health. Responding to that concern, Glück et al. (2017) suggested strontium- and chlorine-free colorants. Lithium salts, Li₂ANAT, are a great candidate for the substitution. It also has excellent color quality comparable to those with Sr-based compositions.
Though environmentally friendly fireworks can reduce emissions, the total number of fireworks used at one time must still be strictly regulated.
In Conclusion…
Fireworks have latent dangers that we must be aware of. Though they provide us entertainment and joy during celebrations, they can severely impact our environment and health.
What is your take on this matter? Should we ban fireworks celebrations entirely all over the world to prevent unwanted consequences?
References
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