From the Department of Obvious Science and the “don’t you have anything better to do with our tax dollars” department comes this pointless study. Gotta love the zinger at the end about the EPA not regulating fireworks emissions (yet). I’d like to see them try, because that might just be the bridge too far for that unaccountable federal agency.
Nationwide study measures short-term spike in July 4 particulate matter
Particulate matter linked to short and long-term health effects
From NOAA Headquarters:
From our nation’s founding, the Fourth of July has been synonymous with fireworks.
While many grew up learning that fireworks can be dangerous to the eyes and hands if not handled properly, fireworks also produce air pollutants, including particulate matter, that are linked to short-term or long-term health effects.
NOAA scientist Dian Seidel and Abigail Birnbaum, a student intern at NOAA, have authored a new study appearing in the journal Atmospheric Environment that quantifies the surge in fine particulate matter -particles that are two and one half microns in diameter (PM2.5) -on July 4, using observations from the 315 U.S. air quality monitoring sites that operated from 1999 to 2013. While scientists have known that fireworks displays produce a surge in fine particulates, the new study is the first nationwide quantitative analysis of the effects.
“We chose the holiday, not to put a damper on celebrations of America’s independence, but because it is the best way to do a nationwide study of the effects of fireworks on air quality,” said Seidel, a senior scientist at NOAA’s Air Resources Laboratory in College Park, Maryland. “These results will help improve air quality predictions, which currently don’t account for fireworks as a source of air pollution. The study is also another wake up call for those who may be particularly sensitive to the effects of fine particulate matter.”
PM2.5 are microscopic particles that can affect health because they travel deep into a person’s respiratory tract, entering the lungs. Both long- and short-term exposures to fine particles are linked to a range of health effects – from coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath, to asthma attacks, heart attack and stroke, and premature death in people with heart or lung disease. People with heart or lung disease, older adults, and children are among those most at risk from particle pollution exposure. For more information on risks, go online to the Environmental Protection Agency at: http://www.epa.gov/airquality/particlepollution/2012/decfshealth.pdf
The new research shows that hourly concentrations of fine particulate matter typically reach their highest levels, when compared to the days before and after July 4, on the evening of July 4. Levels drop back down by noon on July 5, according to the research. On average, the increases are largest from 9-10 p.m. on the holiday. Average concentrations over the 24-hour period starting at 8 p.m. on July 4 are 42 percent greater than on the days preceding and following the holiday.
Increases in fine particulate matter concentrations varied from location to location, due to how close the fireworks were to the monitoring site and variations in weather conditions. At one location, where fireworks are set off in a field adjacent to air quality monitoring instruments, particulate matter concentrations rose 370 percent on the holiday, well above the 24-hour fine particle standard of 35 micrograms per cubic meter.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s rules accommodate the tradition of using fireworks on the Fourth of July and at other cultural events, by allowing states to demonstrate that the short-term PM2.5 spikes measured on July 4 and 5 were influenced by fireworks display and should not be used in determining whether an area has violated the agency’s 24-hour PM2.5 standards.
And while the EPA does not regulate fireworks, the agency does recommend that people who are considered sensitive to particle pollution try to limit their exposure by watching fireworks from upwind – or as far away as possible. People with asthma should follow their asthma action plans and be sure to have their quick relief medicine handy.
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I don’t doubt that fireworks cause a measurable jump in particulate matter. However, this is more a statement about the advancement of measuring equipment than any real health hazard, IMO.
Just another reason to take gunpower out of our hands for the liberals.
Drat- gunpowder I meant.
Serious question – what is the lead content of fireworks manufactured in China?
@JaneHM: Not much. The color comes from metal salts, so a lot of things like copper (green), strontium (red). iron (gold sparks). Lead is a near useless blueish white. No reason to have anywhere around, other than a small crackle effect. Also it is banned in the USA and imported lots are tested.
http://asq.org/qualitynews/qnt/execute/displaySetup?newsID=4104
The colors come from chlorates, or now, more commonly, perchlorates. No lead.
As far as particular matter, where I live there is a pall of smoke that hangs in the air after the July 4th orgy.
Come to think of it, how much do the wars going on right now put out in comparison?
Oh but Dawtgtomis; those are “green” exposions” ahem unlike our co2 creating particulate causing fireworks
And the people they blow up sequester co2 (ah possibly)
michael
The department of really obvious science.
Happy Fourth Anthony! Where will you watch fireworks? In the early 80’s when I was a student at CSUC Woodson Bridge was the place.
I wonder if all the warfare fireworks going off in every corner of the world, is currently having a contribution to the particulate matter I the universe.
These reports seem to get more and more asinine, as time passes. That seems to track with the persons making these claims.
“These reports seem to get more and more asinine, as time passes”
Well yea. We’re desensitized, they have to kick up the dosage to keep the buzz going.
Locally, firework particulates can have an effect.
It can seed fogs if the weather conditions are right. It can aggravate breathing problems in a confined space. It can get in your eyes.
So don’t let off fireworks in the bathroom, Mario.
The bathroom is the only safe place to set them off. Put them in the tub it will act as a partial blast shield, then light them, and turn on the water and close the door. With luck, the water will put them out before they ignite, but with bad luck they will go off and hit part of the bath tub., At least you won’t be killed. You should do this with all fireworks including sparklers.
Every year I am told I should even think about setting of my own fireworks. Every year I disregarded those warnings. Every year I am glad I did.
In college we fired a bottle rocket under the bathroom door while a friend was showering. The fog was so thick he had to open the door so he could find his toothbrush.
Here in the UK all fireworks from the biggest to the smallest come with so many safety instructions that on the very small ones that is all there seems room for on the label, the main instruction is for the spectators to be 25m away from the highly dangerous thing as it goes off trouble is they are so small and so weak that at that distance you would be hard pressed to see the thing when it does it’s little fizzle. Also over the years as many and various people have managed to kill or injure themselves by either not reading the instructions or ignoring them more and more of the best ones have been banned from public sale and we are only allowed those that our leaders think are safer. There are those who would like a total ban on all fireworks.
I have always thought of them as the best toys ever if you remember that they will kill or hurt you if given the chance.
Most are now imported from the far east and are way more dangerous for misfires than anything I bought in my youth.
James Bull
You’re celebrating American independence in the UK? Mighty sporting of you, old chap!😋. Seriously though, when supposed adults start bonfires in the middle of the street and proceed to throw all kinds of pyrotechnics into the fire while little kids are less than 25′ from said explosions, it’s probably time for government to step in and protect us from ourselves. With morons setting off explosions that would make a tank commander proud, at 2am, it’s time for restrictions on the size and time of use. When supermarkets start selling huge box sets of fancy fireworks with large mortar tubes and have them readily available in the middle of the store, it’s time to use some common sense & get explosives out of a public area where serious harm can occur in a very short amount of time. Finally, when fireworks companies set up huge tents to sell their wares, on gas station properties, not far from the gas pumps, it’s time to say enough and ask what government is doing to protect the public from people who lack any judgement whatsoever, never mind sound judgement.
I like fireworks as much as the next guy, set off more than my share during my lifetime, but call me silly if I think these idiots are going to set the forest on fire around our neighborhood, or some poor little kid is going to be seriously injured or worse because daddy was too drunk for proper brain function while using explosives. My wife & I are tired of getting 2 or 3 hours of sleep before going to work the day after fireworks celebrations (it’s not just the 4th of July here where I live) because people just don’t know when to quit and the local governments have been told by the state that they can’t make laws that are more strange meant that state laws–at least when it comes to fireworks.
So, if the organization I despise the most in federal government wants to find any excuse they can to limit fireworks I say good and sorry to those revel era who explode responsibly.
Theirs is on November 5th. Guy Fawkes night bonfires and fireworks.
Remember, remember – the fifth of November. The gunpowder treason and plot.
Mein Gott.
Don’t these people have anything better to do with their lives?
nope
Or our money?
An hour of spectacular boomers compared to backyard cookouts all over town, all weekend long. One would wonder which really does make more smoke. BTW, the latest EPA particulate regs. on particulates are such that one barbecue will put a whole neighborhood out of compliance. This is not the first time the EPA has floated the “fireworks as air pollution” trial balloon.
There some numerically illiterate people working in NOAA
They give you opportunity to interrogate a data file for daily values, specifying actual date of the year you may be interested.
All fine and good, excellent public service you may think, but just wait a minute, if you plot data for each year for your single selected date you get this
http://www.vukcevic.talktalk.net/NOAAdata.gif
They haven’t adjusted for the igniting mechanism yet so the scale is relative. /sarc
Seriously, the jump in 1976 was from the bicentennial celebrations and it’s been all hockey stick since then
Hmm.. didn’t think of that, now you mentioned it, I can see the effect of the 1929 Wall Street crush and the depression. /sarc
If that graph represents July 4th, wouldn’t you also want to know something about the #’s of firework displays(quantities of fireworks) over the same time period? and with ref. to an earlier post, the #’s of active barbeques over time as well? What a bunch of pointless handwringing by NOAA and the EPA.
Hi Andrew
No, the graph has nothing to do with any of the human activities; it’s just an example of how NOAA interpolates data. It appears that they just take data reading once every 5 years, make it flat for about 2.5 years around the actual date, and then linearly interpolate to the next sample’s 2.5 years plateau.
Doing spectral analysis on such data makes the response ZING …..
I’m sorry, Vukcevic, but I need more explanation. I’m not getting your point.
I question that drop from 1940 to 1950. True, most of the actual fireworks were in Europe and the Pacific, and in 1950- Korea, but there must have been a significant increase in firing PRACTICE rounds in the US during that period of time.
In one country on the other side of the pond, the ‘spike’ occurs on 5th November, where we celebrate the last person to enter parliament with honest intentions.
“I’d like to see them try, because that might just be the bridge too far for that unaccountable federal agency.”
Well, over here in lil’ ole Ingerland we are getting perilously close. I confidently predict a ban for “unlicensed” use of fireworks within the decade.
Jack,
There have been laws against certain classs of fireorks (both buying and using) for years.They are fairly uninforceable. Particularly in states (like here in WA) where Tribal areas abound close to urban areas. Unless someone gets hurt or does something really stupid, law enforcement has more important issues to pay attention too.
There has been a blanket ban on fireworks in Hong Kong for many years, except for official displays. Doesn’t make a lot difference though in the rural areas, especially at Chinese New Year
Real fireworks IMO. Photo at
http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/2015/06/the-oil-sands-y.html
As a topic for research I can see where it would have some appeal. It is something they have data for and at least can be controlled for time period. And yes thre is some small public service in reminding people who could be at risk that thei condition could be exacebated. As much as I dislike it, we live in a nanny state culture. The people who favor that culture believe a lot of us are just not smart enough to act in our own est interests. At least best as they see it. That is why the EPA requires the City of Portland to add chemicals to soe of the cleanest, purest water in the nation. Because they assume that people are ignorant (can’t tell if they have old lead piping) or dumb (will ignore the advice to run the water a few seconds to flush any which may have sat long enough to allow lead to go into solution).
It would not surprise me to see some enterprising nannyist at EPA propose regulating or banning fireworks. In some states concern over wildfires might beat them to it.
You can tell government bureaucrats must be bored to death wasting their pitiful lives making life harder for average Americans.
pyeatte
Believe me – it is not just American bureaucrats.
All over the world – yes, even in Yourp, aka the European Union (haven’t checked to see if Greece has been flung out for a couple of hours].
And in Industry sectors.
Ejecta from the southern end of a north-facing bull, plus Tick-Box Compliance, equals – ahhh it’s late.
Work it out for your good selves, please.
And Mods – no /sarc here.
Not an iota [damned Greek theme again – sorry!].
Auto
Our utterly pointless; in fact, downright obnoxious research shows that hourly concentrations of loud booms typically reach their highest levels, when compared to the days before and after July 4, on the evening of July 4. Loud boom levels drop back down by noon on July 5, according to our audacious auditory research. On average, the loud boom increases are loudest from 9-10 p.m. on the holiday. Average loud boom concentrations over the 24-hour period starting at 8 p.m. on July 4 are 42 percent greater than on the days preceding and following the holiday because there are 42 percent less firecrackers exploded on the days preceding and following the holiday.
Pope Francis is expected to issue an Encyclical concerning this although nobody on Earth knows why.
I live the smell of gunpowder in the morning.
correction: love not live although I live for the smell of gunpowder in the morning isn’t so far off. Perhaps I spent too much time outside in the sun this afternoon.
They then will have to regulate wars because of the emissions!
And that mud puddle around the extinguished fireworks falls under the authority of the EPA clean water act guidelines.
No, no, no!!! It’s now a regulated wetlands. Try to keep up!
It’s all China’s fault.
The Government have been doing its best to but a damper on the freedoms it was formed to protect.
Who’s surprised that they’d try to put a damper on the celebration of those freedoms?
Now may bottle rocket explosions does it take to equate to a SpaceX rocket explosion. Hey NOAA, why don’t you try to help NASA get back to space research?
http://money.cnn.com/2015/06/28/technology/spacex-rocket/
NOAA scientist Dian Seidel and Abigail Birnbaum, a student intern at NOAA But is she smarted than a 5th grader?
What are the results for the Chinese New Year?
Oh good grief.
Of course, a cold day will likely cause a spike in atmospheric particulates as people light fires to keep warm.
I guess EPA isn’t too worried since Global Warming has put an end to cold days and lighting a fire will soon be a felony.
I can see it now: The Fourth of July metric. Let’s see; we’ve got the CO2 equivalent energy to x number of Hiroshima bombs metric. We’ve got the rising water levels flooding so many Manhattans metric. In the near future we can expect some sort of silly statement that says: ‘The particulates this power plant puts out in one day are to equal 200 Fourth of July celebrations.’
It appears that NOAA is overdue for some workforce reductions.
How about the whole friggin Federal government with thee exception of Defense and Defense related activities is long overdue for a minimum of a 50% workforce reduction! Even some of the defense related agencies such as the NSA could use some cutting.
why exempt defense? There’s plenty of stupid waste over at the pentagon too. We could, for instance, close down the futurist scenario planning for global warming over there.
We just aren’t supposed to have fun any more.
This is the kind of BS we get with huge unconstitutional government and subsidized public education that restocks it with automatons. What would be interesting to me is how many of these fine particles actually make it deep into your lungs. Is it one? Is it two? Is it 1000? How many does it take to cause a health issue? My guess is at an outdoor event such as fireworks display it is undetectable!
At least the EPA was trying to find out until the evil, unscientific American Tradition Institute asked a few questions. s/
It’s a good thing the U.S Public Health Service called off the infamous Tuskegee syphilis experiments in 1972. Had someone sued to stop the horror, a federal judge like Anthony Trenga might have stopped the suit — not the experiments.
That’s precisely what Judge Trenga did on Jan. 31 in the case of the American Tradition Institute v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The American Tradition Institute sued the EPA in October to stop an ongoing experiment in which the agency was exposing elderly study subjects (up to 75 years of age) to concentrated levels of a deadly (according to EPA) air pollutant known as PM2.5 (soot or dust much smaller than the width of a human hair).
In conducting these experiments, the EPA either lied to the study subjects (giving rise to civil and possibly criminal liability), or the agency lied to Congress and the public about the dangers of PM2.5 (risking the agency’s reputation and related regulatory programs). This question remains of great import. It’s just too bad Judge Trenga wasn’t interested in learning the answer.
Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/feb/13/milloy-federal-judge-overturns-epa-human-experimen/#ixzz3eaShB8AK
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