NEWS RELEASE
July 1, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Dan A. Nelson, ORCAA Public Information Officer, Ext. 111
Fireworks Impact Air Quality
Each year we celebrate our national birthday with colorful bursts of black powder - fireworks which ignite around American neighborhoods on the Fourth of July.
These pyrotechnical displays provide brilliant light shows each Independence Day, but they also cause spikes in air pollution levels that may be hazardous to some groups. The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) has noticed elevated levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution at some of its monitoring stations during previous Independence Days.
In some cases, the monitors were pushed into the Moderate Air Quality range for two days by the fireworks.
The smoke from fireworks displays generally dissipates within a few hours, but individuals with asthma or other respiratory conditions may be impacted during that time. ORCAA acknowledges that fireworks are a source of air pollution, but does not advocate a ban on the devices.
"The message we want to share is simply that people should be aware of the potential exposures," said agency spokesman Dan Nelson. "These are pollution-causing devices and we all need to exercise common sense to minimize the risks to ourselves, our children, and our neighborhoods."
To minimize impacts from fireworks smoke, individuals should reduce or eliminate their use of personal fireworks - these tend to concentrate their smoke near ground level. Instead, residents may attend community-sponsored aerial fireworks displays. These create smoke as well, but generally much higher above the ground where it can dissipate more completely before reaching people at ground level.
Folks who do set up fireworks on their own should keep the devices well clear of buildings and combustible materials (including vegetation). They must also be careful when disposing of the debris afterwards. After dousing the paper and plastic with water (to reduce risks of fire), the waste material should be disposed of with your garbage.
The waste should never be burned - not only does state law prohibit burning the material, but the colorful wrappings contain chemicals that could release dangerous toxics into the air if burned.
Pyrotechnics manufacturers add powdered metallic salts to their explosive shells to create the brilliant colors. Copper produces blue and barium provides green. Strontium produces red. Powdered magnesium provides intensely bright flashes of white - magnesium burns so brightly that it's also used in military illumination flares.
Of particular concern are illegal fireworks manufactured outside the United States as they frequently contain lead (lead is banned in fireworks production in the U.S.). ORCAA encourages all residents to have a fun, but safe and healthful, Fourth of July Holiday.
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The Olympic Region Clean Air Agency protects and enhances air quality for citizens in Thurston, Mason, Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, and Pacific counties by enforcing federal, state and local air quality regulations. If you have questions specific to the topic above, or just general questions about local air quality, contact ORCAA at (360) 586-1044 or 1-800-422-5623, or visit ORCAA's website, www.orcaa.org.