On July 4 at 9 p.m. I loaded our dog, Brigid, into the back of my station wagon and drove her seven miles out of Salem so she wouldn’t be terrified by the municipal fireworks soon to be set off. I had given her a vet-provided anxiety med before we left. We sat at a highway wayside just past Dixie Caverns, out of range of the City’s fireworks, but even there in what I thought would be a quiet place, were fireworks going off continuously around us. Brigid cowered in the back of the wagon and would not get out of the car for a walk.
Besides the noise pollution of fireworks, being in the vicinity to view them is not good for human or for animal health. The major greenhouse gas released by fireworks is carbon dioxide (CO2 ), which comes from the burning of black powder (gunpowder) that propels and detonates the shells.
Researchers estimate that fireworks nationwide release between 60,000 and 94.3 kilotons (metric tons) of CO2 annually. That much CO2 is about equal to a year’s emissions of 12,000 gas-powered cars. Fireworks also create a burst of ozone, which is a secondary greenhouse gas at ground level and a severe respiratory irritant.
Local toxic air pollution from the chemical reactions required to create explosions, and the many colors, releases a strong cocktail of polluting gases and particulate matter, including sulfur dioxide (SO2 ) and nitrogen oxides (NOx ), gases that contribute to acid rain and cause immediate inflammation of the respiratory tract. Carbon monoxide (CO) is released when some of the firework’s fuel isn’t completely burned.
Then there is the smoke fireworks produce, which is made up of microscopic soot and dust particles that lodge deep into our lungs and those of our pets and wildlife. A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) study found that those particle concentrations increase by an average of 42% in the 24 hours following July 4th celebrations. In the hours right after a show, local particulate pollution can spike by 370% or more, sometimes hitting concentrations over 500 µg/m3. This temporarily rivals the air quality of the world’s most heavily polluted smog days, occasionally causing major cities (like Detroit, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.) to briefly rank among the most air-polluted areas globally on the morning of July 5th. The vibrant colors in fireworks are produced by burning toxic metal salts that do not disintegrate, but instead disperse into the air as aerosols before settling into the soil and water. Strontium (red) concentrations in the air can spike up to 120 times background levels post-show. Barium (green) can spike up to 12 times background levels, and copper (blue), potassium, and magnesium see severe, short-term spikes in the local air. Perchlorates are chemicals used
to provide oxygen for the propellant and contaminate local ponds, lakes and rivers following fireworks displays, and they disrupt aquatic ecosystems.
What’s more, annually, over 19,000 fires are started by fireworks and there are approximately 15,000 firework injuries treated in our Emergency Rooms. In the U.S., July 4 is the top day of the year for lost pets.
Like Brigid, many pets, and wild animals don’t understand what is happening when we humans send hundreds of small explosions off within and around their habitats. They panic, expect impending danger, and fear losing their lives. Animal shelters nationwide experience surges in intakes and missing pet reports between July 4 and July 6.
Some humans experience panic too. The loud noises made by fireworks mimic combat conditions, so their displays become a major trigger for veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), causing flashbacks, anxiety, and panic attacks.
Given what we know about the harm caused to the environment and to its living organisms, fireworks, like helium balloons, should be banned. There are alternatives. Many communities, like Chapel Hill, San Jose, Los Angeles, and Tucson, are replacing fireworks with drone light displays.
Sincerely,
-(Dr.) Michael L. Bentley
Salem
