Slashdot Mirror


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."

6 of 110 comments (clear)

  1. Biodegradable bullets is next by moteyalpha · · Score: 0, Troll

    I think that the lead in bullets is poisoning the land where too many people are being shot and more attention should be applied to having a bullet that doesn't use heavy metal. /sarcasm

  2. Re:PETA vs Gun Lobby by arthurpaliden · · Score: -1, Troll

    With any luck they will go after the gun lobby after all they, the guns, make loud noises too. In fact hunters force their dogs to go with them when they do fire off those loud noise making things.

  3. Re:PETA won't be satisfied by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    I want to get rid of PETA because they scare me ;-)

    Next up on PETA's forbidden list: thunder.

  4. Re:PETA won't be satisfied by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Be honest, they won't be happy till they have removed ALL TRADITIONS!! There are traditions of dog and cock fighting, bull fighting, and other sport going back to the roman empire and beyond, but peta has decided that the traditions need to be accosted! If they could get rid of Christmas they would, and just think of the birds/squirrels/howler monkeys which would have a good life in the tree farm now that it can't conduct business. They are just going after fireworks now because it's july and that's an important part of the us celebration.

    In the words of apu: "Celebrate the independence of your nation by blowing up a small part of it."

  5. Suck my dick Eco fags by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Bite a turd you cocksuckers. I'm going to drop my next load of grogans into the town
    reservoir, just in your honor.

  6. What about the Excess Nitrogen by crmarvin42 · · Score: 1, Troll

    What about the negative impact of excess Nitrogen in water tables. Most people have heard about farms being a source of pollution, leading to eutrophication of ground water, algae blooms, fish kills, nasty smelling water, etc.

    The 1st limiting nutrient in most aquatic environments is Nitrogen. It's the Nitrogen in animal waste that is the problem for surface water. I'd need to see the effect of Nitrogen based fireworks on Nitrogen levels in the water before I jump on this bandwagon.

    --
    Bureaucracy expands to meet the needs of the expanding bureaucracy.-Oscar Wilde