Re: Fireworks: Breathtaking ... and Deadly

[Guest guest]

As eye-opening as a fireworks display, a. Am I still allowed to use

the sparklers I bought tonight?

[ ] Fireworks: Breathtaking ... and Deadly

> Fireworks: Breathtaking ... and Deadly

>

> Gar , AlterNet

> July 1, 2002

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> In the final December of the 20th century, environmentalists in

Sweden,

> Germany and Australia issued a Global Call for Action, asking the

world

> community to take a stand against 21st century air pollution by

halting the

> globe-circling fireworks displays planned to celebrate the dawn of the

year

> 2000.

>

>

> " Wouldn't it be nice to be able to greet the new millennium in a

dignified,

> responsible and environmentally friendly way? " the Sweden-based Heavy

Metal

> Bulletin asked. " Is this type of celebration really a good habit to

carry

> into the New Millennium? "

>

> Air-bursting shells -- with picturesque names like chrysanthemum,

peony,

> willow, saturn, strobe, and salute -- are lovely to watch but, when it

comes

> to skyrockets, every silver lining has a cloud. As the Bulletin points

out,

> heavy metal fallout from exploding fireworks poses a threat to

" nature,

> animals and human beings. "

>

>

> In addition to the charges of blackpowder (containing carcinogenic

> sulfur-coal compounds) that send skyrockets airborne and blast them

into

> patterns of glowing sparks, fireworks contain a number of toxic metals

that

> produce a range of dazzling colors. Strontium produces blazing reds,

copper

> compounds burn blue, magnesium, titanium and aluminum create brilliant

white

> sparks. Sodium chloride produces orange-yellow fire, boric acid burns

green,

> potassium and rubidium compounds produce purples and burning lithium

glows

> red. Glittering greens are produced by radioactive barium.

>

>

> During the Stockholm Water Festival in 1996, air pollutant levels were

> measured before and after the fireworks display. Levels of airborne

arsenic

> were found to be twice normal, while levels of mercury, cadmium, lead,

> copper, zinc and chromium were as high as 500 times above normal.

>

>

> The October 1999 issue of the Swedish technical magazine New Teknik

> estimated that millennium fireworks shows would dump three tons of

lead, 60

> tons of chromium and several kilograms of cadmium over Sweden within a

> matter of hours. Add to this the fact that noise from exploding

fireworks

> can top 130 decibels (acoustic health specialists have shown that

exposure

> to 105 dB for one hour can damage hearing), and it's no surprise that

the

> Bulletin reports that a surprisingly large percentage of Swedish

citizens

> now favor a total ban.

>

>

> Assuming the same amount of per-capita fireworks was used in all

European

> Union countries to welcome the year 2000, the Bulletin estimates that

the

> millennial celebrations shot 124 tons of lead into the air of the

European

> Union countries. The spectacular show above Australia's Sydney Harbor

filled

> the air with an estimated six tons of lead. In the US, fireworks shows

may

> have generated 90 tons of sky-borne lead pollution -- a flagrant (and

> pungent) violation of the Clean Air Act.

>

>

> " The increased exposure constitutes a direct risk for people with

asthma,

> metal allergies and chemical sensitivities, " The Bulletin notes.

" Infants

> and children are particularly vulnerable and may suffer permanent

damage.

> Many pet owners and farmers are concerned, and wildlife remains

completely

> unprotected. " Fireworks displays, critics argue, may even violate

Agenda 21

> of the UN Earth Summit agreement.

>

>

> " How can we expect people in the so-called third world to be

environmentally

> friendly if we cannot abstain from completely useless pollution? " the

> Bulletin asks.

>

>

> Skylighter, Inc., the " supermarket of pyrotechnics, " stocks more than

108

> different chemical additives used in the production of fireworks.

>

>

> Skylighter's inventory includes acetone, ammonium perchlorate, benzoic

acid,

> boric acid, calcium carbonate, xylene, chlorine, alcohol, sodium

> fluoaluminate, dextrin, sodium benzoate, guanidine nitrate,

> hexachloroethane, stearic acid, iodine, lactose, lead tetraoxide,

sodium

> bicarbonate, lead monoxide, methylene chloride, shellac, oxalic acid,

> chlorinated rubber, polyethylene, tungsten, zinc chromate, sodium

> salicylate, polyvinyl chloride and sorbitol - along with such prosaic

items

> as pine rosin, tropical tree resin and rice hulls (coated with

burst-powder

> to break shells).

>

>

> Fireworks shows are big business. New York-based Grucci ( " The First

Family

> of Fireworks " ) made $2.1 million on Independence Day shows in 1999.

Grucci's

> New Year's spectacular at the Washington Monument required 140 tons of

sand,

> 135 miles of wire, 26 pyrotechnicians and enough lumber to build a

> single-family house. The number of exploding shells is a family

secret. " We

> address our programs as an art, " says Felix Grucci, Jr. " You wouldn't

ask

> Michelangelo how many buckets of paint he used to paint the Sistine

Chapel. "

>

>

> The booming economy has caused pyrotechnic profits to skyrocket as

> corporations -- and newly super-rich individuals -- increasingly turn

to the

> rockets' red glare to spice up corporate events and private parties.

And the

> bombs bursting in air are getting bigger. A Grucci spokesperson

interviewed

> by the New York Times reported that customers who were satisfied with

> four-inch shells last year are now insisting on six-inch shells that

> detonate 200 feet in the air.

>

>

> The exploding use of fireworks poses an increasing -- and

unexplored --

> threat to human health. Airborne chemical particulates have been

linked to

> lung cancer, heart attacks and premature deaths. An estimated 50,000

US

> citizens die each year from exposure to airborne particulates.

>

>

> The Bulletin has called on Sweden's health authorities to provide all

> vulnerable citizens with protective facemasks, goggles, and earplugs.

> Shelters could also be provided for anyone who does not wish to be

exposed

> to the noise, glare, and fallout.

>

>

> If we must forego the guilty pleasure of fireworks shows, how then

should we

> celebrate momentous events? The Bulletin has a simple suggestion:

" Watch the

> stars. " And for the house-bound celebrant, PBS' " Nova " hosts Kaboom!,

a

> website that invites visitors to design their own world-class

pyrotechnic

> extravaganzas, complete with virtual explosions, musical

accompaniment --

> and absolutely no air pollution.

>

>

> Gar , the former editor of Earth Island Journal, now heads Earth

> Island's new electronic magazineThe-Edge.

>

>

> http://www.alternet.org/story.html

>

[Guest guest]

,

Use whatever you like, but I¹ll bet you¹ll look at them differently after

reading that article.

Just please try not to inhale the smoke. I hope you enjoyed your 4th!

Hugs,

a

> As eye-opening as a fireworks display, a. Am I still allowed to use

> the sparklers I bought tonight?

>

>

>

>

> [ ] Fireworks: Breathtaking ... and Deadly

>

>

>> > Fireworks: Breathtaking ... and Deadly

>> >

>> > Gar , AlterNet

>> > July 1, 2002

>> >

>> > ------------------------------------------------------------------

>> >

>> > In the final December of the 20th century, environmentalists in

> Sweden,

>> > Germany and Australia issued a Global Call for Action, asking the

> world

>> > community to take a stand against 21st century air pollution by

> halting the

>> > globe-circling fireworks displays planned to celebrate the dawn of the

> year

>> > 2000.

>> >

>> >

>> > " Wouldn't it be nice to be able to greet the new millennium in a

> dignified,

>> > responsible and environmentally friendly way? " the Sweden-based Heavy

> Metal

>> > Bulletin asked. " Is this type of celebration really a good habit to

> carry

>> > into the New Millennium? "

>> >

>> > Air-bursting shells -- with picturesque names like chrysanthemum,

> peony,

>> > willow, saturn, strobe, and salute -- are lovely to watch but, when it

> comes

>> > to skyrockets, every silver lining has a cloud. As the Bulletin points

> out,

>> > heavy metal fallout from exploding fireworks poses a threat to

> " nature,

>> > animals and human beings. "

>> >

>> >

>> > In addition to the charges of blackpowder (containing carcinogenic

>> > sulfur-coal compounds) that send skyrockets airborne and blast them

> into

>> > patterns of glowing sparks, fireworks contain a number of toxic metals

> that

>> > produce a range of dazzling colors. Strontium produces blazing reds,

> copper

>> > compounds burn blue, magnesium, titanium and aluminum create brilliant

> white

>> > sparks. Sodium chloride produces orange-yellow fire, boric acid burns

> green,

>> > potassium and rubidium compounds produce purples and burning lithium

> glows

>> > red. Glittering greens are produced by radioactive barium.

>> >

>> >

>> > During the Stockholm Water Festival in 1996, air pollutant levels were

>> > measured before and after the fireworks display. Levels of airborne

> arsenic

>> > were found to be twice normal, while levels of mercury, cadmium, lead,

>> > copper, zinc and chromium were as high as 500 times above normal.

>> >

>> >

>> > The October 1999 issue of the Swedish technical magazine New Teknik

>> > estimated that millennium fireworks shows would dump three tons of

> lead, 60

>> > tons of chromium and several kilograms of cadmium over Sweden within a

>> > matter of hours. Add to this the fact that noise from exploding

> fireworks

>> > can top 130 decibels (acoustic health specialists have shown that

> exposure

>> > to 105 dB for one hour can damage hearing), and it's no surprise that

> the

>> > Bulletin reports that a surprisingly large percentage of Swedish

> citizens

>> > now favor a total ban.

>> >

>> >

>> > Assuming the same amount of per-capita fireworks was used in all

> European

>> > Union countries to welcome the year 2000, the Bulletin estimates that

> the

>> > millennial celebrations shot 124 tons of lead into the air of the

> European

>> > Union countries. The spectacular show above Australia's Sydney Harbor

> filled

>> > the air with an estimated six tons of lead. In the US, fireworks shows

> may

>> > have generated 90 tons of sky-borne lead pollution -- a flagrant (and

>> > pungent) violation of the Clean Air Act.

>> >

>> >

>> > " The increased exposure constitutes a direct risk for people with

> asthma,

>> > metal allergies and chemical sensitivities, " The Bulletin notes.

> " Infants

>> > and children are particularly vulnerable and may suffer permanent

> damage.

>> > Many pet owners and farmers are concerned, and wildlife remains

> completely

>> > unprotected. " Fireworks displays, critics argue, may even violate

> Agenda 21

>> > of the UN Earth Summit agreement.

>> >

>> >

>> > " How can we expect people in the so-called third world to be

> environmentally

>> > friendly if we cannot abstain from completely useless pollution? " the

>> > Bulletin asks.

>> >

>> >

>> > Skylighter, Inc., the " supermarket of pyrotechnics, " stocks more than

> 108

>> > different chemical additives used in the production of fireworks.

>> >

>> >

>> > Skylighter's inventory includes acetone, ammonium perchlorate, benzoic

> acid,

>> > boric acid, calcium carbonate, xylene, chlorine, alcohol, sodium

>> > fluoaluminate, dextrin, sodium benzoate, guanidine nitrate,

>> > hexachloroethane, stearic acid, iodine, lactose, lead tetraoxide,

> sodium

>> > bicarbonate, lead monoxide, methylene chloride, shellac, oxalic acid,

>> > chlorinated rubber, polyethylene, tungsten, zinc chromate, sodium

>> > salicylate, polyvinyl chloride and sorbitol - along with such prosaic

> items

>> > as pine rosin, tropical tree resin and rice hulls (coated with

> burst-powder

>> > to break shells).

>> >

>> >

>> > Fireworks shows are big business. New York-based Grucci ( " The First

> Family

>> > of Fireworks " ) made $2.1 million on Independence Day shows in 1999.

> Grucci's

>> > New Year's spectacular at the Washington Monument required 140 tons of

> sand,

>> > 135 miles of wire, 26 pyrotechnicians and enough lumber to build a

>> > single-family house. The number of exploding shells is a family

> secret. " We

>> > address our programs as an art, " says Felix Grucci, Jr. " You wouldn't

> ask

>> > Michelangelo how many buckets of paint he used to paint the Sistine

> Chapel. "

>> >

>> >

>> > The booming economy has caused pyrotechnic profits to skyrocket as

>> > corporations -- and newly super-rich individuals -- increasingly turn

> to the

>> > rockets' red glare to spice up corporate events and private parties.

> And the

>> > bombs bursting in air are getting bigger. A Grucci spokesperson

> interviewed

>> > by the New York Times reported that customers who were satisfied with

>> > four-inch shells last year are now insisting on six-inch shells that

>> > detonate 200 feet in the air.

>> >

>> >

>> > The exploding use of fireworks poses an increasing -- and

> unexplored --

>> > threat to human health. Airborne chemical particulates have been

> linked to

>> > lung cancer, heart attacks and premature deaths. An estimated 50,000

> US

>> > citizens die each year from exposure to airborne particulates.

>> >

>> >

>> > The Bulletin has called on Sweden's health authorities to provide all

>> > vulnerable citizens with protective facemasks, goggles, and earplugs.

>> > Shelters could also be provided for anyone who does not wish to be

> exposed

>> > to the noise, glare, and fallout.

>> >

>> >

>> > If we must forego the guilty pleasure of fireworks shows, how then

> should we

>> > celebrate momentous events? The Bulletin has a simple suggestion:

> " Watch the

>> > stars. " And for the house-bound celebrant, PBS' " Nova " hosts Kaboom!,

> a

>> > website that invites visitors to design their own world-class

> pyrotechnic

>> > extravaganzas, complete with virtual explosions, musical

> accompaniment --

>> > and absolutely no air pollution.

>> >

>> >

>> > Gar , the former editor of Earth Island Journal, now heads Earth

>> > Island's new electronic magazineThe-Edge.

>> >

>> >

>> > http://www.alternet.org/story.html

>> >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Re: [ ] Fireworks: Breathtaking ... and DeadlyYou bet I looked at all

the fireworks differently, a! I never really considered all the drawbacks

mentioned in the article. I hope someone comes up with something more

environmentally friendly and safe. In the meanwhile, maybe would should simply

enjoy the stars.

About an hour ago, the kids told me to hurry up and come to the front door. Not

far above the rooftops and coming right toward us was a nie hot air

balloon. My sons had been waving and shouting greetings which were returned. I

told them that they should let the balloonists concentrate on the task at hand

or they might crash into our house! In 1990, we had just moved in and a few days

later I installed our mailbox. The next morning a hot air balloon crash landed

right in front of our house, missing the mailbox by about a foot. I still have

pictures of that. Anyway, that whiskey bottle made it safely over us, thank

goodness. It was really close. Everybody wants to be Steve Fossett, I guess.

It was a good day today and yesterday, thanks. It was nice that you and

could have a relatively quiet 4th, but I wish you both were feeling better. Hope

you can have a good weekend.

Re: [ ] Fireworks: Breathtaking ... and Deadly

,

Use whatever you like, but I'll bet you'll look at them differently after

reading that article.

Just please try not to inhale the smoke. I hope you enjoyed your 4th!

Hugs,

a