Working Towards an Eco-Friendly Fireworks Display

phobos13013 writes "Here's an article just in time for 4th of July fireworks shows! The ACS's Chemical and Engineering News provides a fairly technical discussion about the hazardous chemicals in modern fireworks displays. Perchlorate is currently the oxidizer of choice in fireworks, but it is also known to be a thyroid blocker. Since perchlorates are water-soluble anions, they dissolve into groundwater quickly. A study performed last summer over a lake in Ada, Oklahoma showed that less than a day after a fireworks display, the lake's chlorate levels jumped by a factor of 1,000. It took weeks for the levels to drop back down to their baseline. On the other hand, heavy metals are used to produce the pretty colors typically associated with the best fireworks. The trend is to start using nitrogen-based oxidizing fireworks; they produce less smoke, which means a smaller amount of colorizing agents can be used in displays."

Comments

Re:Really?

[crossmr]

I was thinking that it wasn't "just in time" but instead a moment of opportunity because the rest of the year no one would care.

Fireworks drive away evil spirits

[RevWaldo]

Fireworks drive away evil spirits, so, you know, really, the more poisonous the better.

For better safety don't eat the fireworks

[EmbeddedJanitor]

Jeez: perchlorate causes thyroid problems.... Well don't eat the firework and don't inhale the gases.

How about **watching** the fireworks instead? Yeah I know that's an outlandish idea, but try it some time... you see all these pretty patterns!

Compared to all the tailpipe emissions of people driving to the firework display, the chemicals used on the lawns they are sitting on, the peroxide the "blonds" all used to bleach their hair etc etc, the chemicals in the actual fireworks are insignificant.

Re:For better safety don't eat the fireworks

[Spy der Mann]

Jeez: perchlorate causes thyroid problems.... Well don't eat the firework and don't inhale the gases.

How about **watching** the fireworks instead

Fine - I'll watch them, not without remembering that there are many places in the world where people manufacture fireworks with their bare hands, and are in direct contact with the aforementioned toxic materials. Thank you for your kind interest.

How about some perspective?

[camperdave]

A once a year, thousand times spike in a trace amount chemical, and it dissipates within a month? Let's get a little perspective? How many plastic water bottles and cigarette butts find their way into the same lake, and how long does it take them to dissipate? How much waste comes out of the nearest McDonald's location in a single day? From the nearest coal fired power plant? There are bigger problems to deal with than a dubious annual spike in a trace chemical.

Re:How about some perspective?

[phobos13013]

You create a false dichotomy between dealing with this problem and dealing with the others. Fact is, we don't deal with any of the problems to any significant extent. I say we tackle all these problems simultaneously why choose one then the other, etc. And to boot, this article suggests a practical option that exists now, which is switching the way we produce fireworks today!

Re:PETA won't be satisfied

[DeadChobi]

The only reason that activist is bothered by it is because she doesn't like fireworks. She had no problems with vacuuming, even though that's another loud noise that her dog doesn't like.