UPDATE: Yes, sadly, I had to look. There’s the fireworks and global warming question being bandied about related to the 2012 Olympics. See below the read more line. – Anthony
From the Journal of Obvious Science department: Smoke from fireworks is harmful to health. In related news, excessive smoke inhalation can cause death, and fireworks can explode in your hand, (warning, graphic) causing loss of fingers . All the more reason to have “strict controls on fireworks imports so that those with the potentially most dangerous chemical composition can be avoided”. Up next month in the Journal of Obvious Science; pot smoke at concerts causes mass mellow.
The metallic particles in the smoke emitted by fireworks pose a health risk, particularly to people who suffer from asthma. This is the conclusion of a study led by researchers from the Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), published this week in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.
“The toxicological research has shown that many of the metallic particles in the smoke from fireworks are bio-reactive and can affect human health”, Teresa Moreno, a researcher from the IDAEA (CSIC) and lead author of a study that has been published this week in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, tells SINC.
The different colours and effects produced in these displays are achieved by adding metals to the gunpowder. When a pyrotechnic display takes place it releases a lot of smoke, liberating minute metallic particles (of a few microns in size, or even less), which are small enough to be inhaled deeply into the lungs.
“This poses a risk to health, and the effects are probably more acute in people with a background of asthma or cardiovascular problems”, Moreno explains. “The effects in healthy people are still unknown, but common sense tells us it cannot be good to inhale the high levels of metallic particles in this smoke, even if this only happens a few times a year”.
The study focused on the San Juan fiestas (the night of 23 June through to 24 June, 2008) in the Spanish city of Girona. The researchers analysed the levels of more than 30 chemical elements and compounds in May and June in order to confirm that the levels of lead, copper, strontium, potassium and magnesium skyrocketed after the fireworks were launched.
The team found the results were similar in other towns too. During the Mascletà (18 March), for example, in the Las Fallas fiestas in Valencia, levels of these elements rose once again, as well as others such as aluminium, titanium, barium and antimony, and also concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) and sulphur dioxide (SO2).
Other studies have confirmed that the smoke from fireworks increases the presence of metallic particles in the skies over L’Alcora and Borriana (Castellón), Barcelona and even London (United Kingdom) during the Guy Fawkes’ Night celebrations.
“People who live in cities already inhale significant amounts of contaminant particles stemming from traffic emissions, chimneys and cigarettes, and the dense smoke caused by fireworks only worsens this situation”, points out Moreno.
Possible solutions
The researcher compares the problem with that of tobacco. “The less you expose yourself to the smoke, the fewer negative effects it will have on your health, and so the best solution is to avoid inhaling it”.
According to the scientists, in the absence of a ban on fireworks, spectators should stay well back in a place not affected by the smoke and pay attention to the wind direction. They also recommend that fireworks displays should be sited in a place that ensures the plume of smoke will blow away from densely populated areas.
An added problem is the chemical mixtures in the different kinds of fireworks, since some contain extremely toxic metals such as lead. “There should be strict controls on fireworks imports so that those with the potentially most dangerous chemical composition can be avoided”, concludes Moreno.
References: Teresa Moreno, Xavier Querol, Andrés Alastuey, Fulvio Amato, Jorge Pey, Marco Pandolfi, Nino Kuenzli, Laura Bouso, Marcela Rivera y Wes Gibbons. “Effect of fireworks events on urban background trace metal aerosol concentrations: Is the cocktail worth the show?” Journal of Hazardous Materials 183 (1-3): 945-949, 15 de noviembre de 2010. Doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2010.07.082.
UPDATE: Yes, it gets worse. From this Ask.com question:
It stems from this story:
Olypmic sized stupidity, I’d say.
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So those that suffer from asthma maybe should not be downwind from fireworks, depending on how much wind, etc. Did I get this right? Lot’s of thing people with asthma should not do unfortunately…… But they already know that!
I know, because my brother suffered from it in his earlier years. I know better than to be downwind from any smoke and I don’t suffer from that condition – common sense.
So now, this stuff gets legislated into law and then some of those in the protected group dye from other unrelated causes and accidents, 50 years “before their time”. What’s next?
When are they going to get it? Life is a crap shoot people!!!!
Does anyone remember “hold in the hand” Roman candles?
DaveE.
The amount of environmental damage posed by fireworks for opening/closing ceremoinies pales in comparison to the environmental damage done by jsut the IOC jetting around setting the thing up, not to mention the all the spectators traveling to the games.
Hmmmmm, let me see – A) Japan’s evening summer skies are filled with fireworks and their attendant smoke. Displays last for an hour and a half or more and in some cases more than a million people are in attendance. B) Japanese have the world’s longest life span. I suspect there is no real problem here.
The real problem is that smart people are asking stupid questions and being given lots of money to answer them. The inevitable answer is “we have a problem, Houston”. This then sets the clean-living crusaders off to find a regulatory “solution” to the pwessing pwoblem. Once the “solution” is in place, these smart people can then get back to the business of asking questions of even greater stupidity which provide answers even more idiotic than the previous round of stupid research.
Meanwhile, real problems like disease, hunger, lack of sanitation and lack of opportunity fester around the world. But why worry about real problems when you can worry about fireworks instead?
“Studies show this, studies show that.”
I want to do a study that shows how reading too many studies spoils your life and causes cancer. I’m sure it’s true.
Anyone remember how oat bran was going to save humanity? Hell, for a while there they were adding it to toothpaste.
Science can be stupid just like anything else done by people. A hundred years ago, the consensus was that eugenics was a great idea and that tuberculosis was hereditary.
Give me a break, this world has become a total nanny state. If all their complaints are valid, I should be dead by now.
David A. Evans says:
November 16, 2010 at 5:20 pm
Does anyone remember “hold in the hand” Roman candles?
That’s not how you’re suppose to do it? 😮
If you outlaw fireworks, Only Outlaws Will Have Fireworks…
and I’ll be one of them!
Hey Kadaka – what do you want for that old can of calcium carbide?
To every fireworks banning wimpy whiney eco-warming weenie out there,
DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT SCREWING WITH MY 4TH OF JULY PARTIES!
Yet another indication that the time for the villagers everywhere to gather with their pitchforks and torches and drive the Beast out is upon us….
Hey! Do you suppose I could get funded to study the hazardous effects of pitchforks and torches on enviro-nazi health?? White Paper Title follows:
“The Psychological, Epidermal, and Visceral Effects of Five Tined Farm Implements and Exothermic Brands, As Directly Applied to Modern EnvironMental Zealots And Their Acolytes.”
I think a mere $500,000 US will suffice, for the first years study….
I have a hypothesis that drinking many cans of Four Loko and playing with fireworks may be hazardous to one’s health. I don’t want to go out on a limb and create a premature panic or anything, so I propose this be studied in detail. Send lots of money, a few case of Four Loko, and a gift card to Crazy Steve’s Fireworks Emporium for about 10 Grand. I promise I’ll write down what I discover, and have someone else ‘peer review’ it. Honest.
It has long been known that living is dangerous to your health, as the longer you live the more likely you are to die.
Thus, to solve this problem we all need to stop living.
I’ve had asthma for thirty-odd years. I find the sulfurous smoke from fireworks and from my black powder rifle to be soothing to my lungs and sinuses.. These people really need to get out more. And run with a better crowd.
kadaka (KD Knoebel) says:
November 16, 2010 at 2:44 pm
Your CaC2 is likely all gone via CaC2 + 2 H2O -> C2H2 + Ca(OH)2. Those cans
weren’t very air tight.
I had a carbide lamp that I used caving in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. That’s gotta be all switched over to waterproof LED lights by now.
A rather neat lamp. Acetylene burns with a lot of soot unless it’s well mixed with air and the nozzle on carbide lamps did that. A normally running lamp would have a 2 – 3 inch (5 – 7 cm) flame and would leave a good soot streak when it contacted almost anything. Still have it.
In a steam tunnel at CMU (don’t tell anyone) I wrote “Emerald City ->” in soot pointing toward the steam plant. A dirty, hot, concrete tunnel is no yellow brick road!
Calcium carbide is available, but since it reacts with water to make explosive gas, the hazmat shipping fees make it much less interesting. A couple places:
http://www.karstsports.com/mingradcalca.html
http://www.unitednuclear.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=16_17_69
The latter site may ship small enough quantities to not need hazmat shipping.
They also have pyrotechnic chemicals and other very neat stuff (that may be out
of stock but is still interesting reading).
Galactically stupid on so many levels I don’t know where to start …. banning fireworks ….. for gods sake … what next …. and if they are that worried about the CO2 maybe better not to have the Olympics at all ….. it reminds me a bit of the kind of concern people have for taking a couple of tylenols to cure the hangover … yes lets worry about the possible side effects of an over-the-counter painkiller … but forgetting about the pack of cigarettes and booze from the night before.
David A. Evans says:
November 16, 2010 at 5:20 pm
> Does anyone remember “hold in the hand” Roman candles?
One of the better “America’s Funniest Home Video’s” was a dog running around with a lit Roman candle trying to find someone to “throw the stick.” I hope the stupid humans learned a bit about fireworks safety.
What a bunch of killjoys. Time to give these idiots the one finger salute!
“Does anyone remember “hold in the hand” Roman candles?”
I just bought some a couple of weeks ago in Wyoming for New Years eve. You must live back East or in some other Communist state like Kalifornia.
Yes, but: many studies are flawed. So no point in demonizing the messenger, but what if the messenger has his or her own agenda?
“….. levels …… skyrocketed after the fireworks were launched.”
Interesting choice of words. I predict this will all blow over after the smoke clears.
Sparklers! Real ones that glowed red-hot and burned you if you held them wrong. (I know, I burned myself on them when I was young). Gawd, I miss those. I’ll have to homebrew some of those sometime…
Now I’m going to be a goshdiddlydarned sparkler outlaw, and a fireworks caused climate Armageddon and human mass destruction skeptic too. Golly.. I never saw that one coming. Count me in with Myron & Many Mikes, you can have my sparkler…
This is silly enough that we need to maybe alert the M4GW guys.
Jeez! Why don’t the idiots quit breathing, as then there’d be less CO2 being expelled …
being alive has a 100% fatality rate. the only way to prevent your death from being alive is to build a time machine and go back in time to prevent your birth…
but then if you’re never born, who is going to stop your birth?
I will require a large grant and several playboy bunny assistants to get to the bottom of this. I swear I will not rest until the answer is found.
if you never hear from me again, you’ll know I was successful.
I always liked the smell of fireworks smoke. . .
Then, I like diesel exhaust, too. To each his own.
/Mr Lynn
I still have some hand held roman candles. The instructions say not to hold them in your hand. Bah. That’s the fun of it! ☺
I also have a fireworks cube, about 10 inches on a side. It weighs about 5 pounds. The scofflaw label says: “California Illegal”☺ ☺ ☺
I liked the label so much I cut it off and saved it. The cube detonates on New Year’s eve – if the roman candles don’t get me first.
We all know that when we get a lot of people together, they can transmit communicable diseases. I guess they should simply cancel the Olympics or at least all events that take place indoors. What were they thinking having gatherings indoors, all of that recirculated air and germs flying around?
Olympic torch? What torch? It’s now the Olympic LED! It only lights up when the sun charging the solar cell. NO battery, that would mean more chemicals!
For that matter, we should cancel gatherings of all forms, ban the use of any chemical that ends up in the air even temporarily, and all candles and birthday cakes – the candles are dangerous and the calories contribute to obesity.
Anybody know where to buy a carbon sequestration kit for a house chimney?
When does the ban on fingernail polish kick in?
That looks like a Vogon Constructor ship on the right hand side of the photo.