ANTI-FIRECRACKERS

Ramos, Danah Bianca Q.

CBET-02-604p
Air pollution is a worldwide problem. It is the introduction into the atmosphere of chemicals, particulates, and
biological matter that cause harm to humans, other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment. It
causes health problems including respiratory infections, heart disease, COPD, stroke and lung cancer. The health effects
caused by air pollution may include difficulty in breathing, wheezing, coughing, asthma and worsening of existing
respiratory and cardiac conditions. Air pollution are caused by exhaust from a factories, the burning of fossil fuels,
volcanic eruptions, wildfires, and also firecrackers.
Firecrackers are frequently used here in our country and even around the world whether it's for celebrating a
national holiday, energizing a local festival, or just the strange excite and amusement of seeing things blown up, Filipinos
set off fireworks ranging from the cheap driveway rocket firecrackers, skyrockets, Roman candles and yes even those socalled "harmless" sparklers to the six-figure civic show. In creating a spectacular and stunning firework displays, You
might not know that all those mesmerizing, stunning ,colorful and extravagant explosives used to celebrate special
occasions pose a serious environmental and health danger from heavy metals and other toxic firework fallout. So the next
time you are about to set off or buy some cheap fireworks or even attend an outdoor fireworks display, ask yourself is this
fireworks do something good to our environment?, is this a result of an environmentally irresponsible form of
entertainment.
Along with the loud bangs and sizzling crackles of fireworks, people seem to enjoy the array of colors -bold reds,
bright whites, shocking blues, and more. But this diversity of fireworks colors means more than just visual stimulation; it
also means that a mix of metals are released into the atmosphere with every single explosion. To make those red, white,
and blue fireworks, manufacturers pack the explosives with things like strontium compounds, magnesium, and dioxinladen copper mixtures. And then there's toxic barium for green, sodium nitrate for yellow, and a mix of for calcium
compounds for orange. These are just a handful of the chemicals released into the air by fireworks displays and breathed
by people in attendance, even in neighborhood settings where individual consumers light "backyard" fireworks just feet
away from friends and family. As if the black powder required to blast fireworks into the air doesn't constitute enough
pollution, these metal salts - many of which are truly noxious - spread through our air and even into our water.
Aside from the widespread air pollution caused by fireworks, there is physical litter created by the explosions.
While not as environmentally harmful as the particulate matter released into the air from fireworks, this on-the-ground
trash is a terror, detracting from the landscape and requiring extra time and money to clean up. Philippine's cities same as
other country already struggle with litter from the usual human sources, and fireworks only add to the problem, usually
during the season when people are most likely to be outdoors.
Another problem caused by firecrackers are the continuous increase of injury related to fireworks, more than half
were burns. More than 70 percent of the people injured suffered their accidents during the month of December. The body
parts most often injured in these accidents were hands and fingers, legs and eyes. Two of every five people injured by
fireworks were under the age of 15, curiosity and experimentation is may be the reason for most of the accidents occurred.

And also improper usage of firecracker or defective firecrackers can lead to damage of property. Sparks that land
on your roofs may start a fire in your community. During summer months, simple hand-held sparkler fireworks may burn
at temperatures in excess of 2,000 degrees F when directly exposed to sunlight. These spark producing fireworks pose a
great threat to dry and flammable areas.
I am in favor of the firecracker ban this is the long time waited solution to minimize or decrease the rate of air
pollution in the Philippines and ease the growth population of injury and prevent loss of lives caused by firecrackers and
damages to properties. For the manufacturers and traders of firecracker who are affected of the banning specially those
who are in Bocaue, Bulacan, the city is known as the Firecracker Capital of the Philippines may be they must focus on
enrichment of their agricultural products, so the risk of producing harmful effects in the environment and peoples health
may be prevented.
Knowing about the Philippine tradition and culture every new year that we had adopt from the Chinese culture
and tradition of using firecracker, it was the Chinese that started to use explosives to make firecrackers, the belief that
exploding firecrackers drove bad spirits away in the area which surrounds us and that the louder it sounds the more
positive luck will come and enter in our homes. But it seems to be a not so lucky day for those who gets accident and
injuries through the use of these booming materials it leaves great traumas to those who had experience to lose some of
their body parts like their fingers even their whole hand or arm, their toes, eyes and can even damage their hearing sense.
Others might even lose their loved ones or their own lives on that special date. Firecrackers do not drive bad spirits away.
They cause people to die, go blind or lose parts every year. In short, our annual New Year;s celebration is may be form of
human sacrifice. But no life is worth losing just because we are welcoming New Year. So wake up we can still have fun
without risking our health and lives to danger. We can just horn our wheels or blow horns and smash two metals, play
party music out loud, or even just scream out HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!.Though that way we can celebrate our new year
safe yet happy and fun without the fear of getting somebody hurt, we will be all so exempt from those dusty smoke and
pile of garbage from exploded firecrackers.
But yes I know that there are still some people will not be convinced not to use firecrackers in welcoming new
year until they learned it the hard way in which when the time had come that they had experienced it himself. It is really
had to resist or change our tradition and culture or what we used to do because it is our way of preserving and maintaining
it passing it to the next generation but is it really what we want them to have to risk the life and the environment. People
still have a choice: To watch the safe option or risk life and limb touching firecrackers.
If I were to map the paths towards a successful firecracker ban it will go like this, first thing to do is to prohibit or
limit manufacturers who produce firecrackers; second, let the people be aware of the risk of using firecrackers; third, no
individual shall buy firecrackers only those who are authorized and has permission can avail the firecrackers; forth, the
government must have the full control of the banning; fifth, for those who will not follow will be punished or will pay a
penalty.
The government is apparently afraid of firecracker manufacturers being deprived, particularly in Bocaue,
Bulacan, who claim they would lose their livelihood if a firecracker ban were put into effect. But the manufacturers can
always shift to another business that does not promote a threat to the safety and health of the citizens.
We must emphasize that the interests of a very small business sector involved in manufacturing firecrackers and

pyrotechnics should not be allowed to prevail over the safety and health of the general population.
I fully support the proposal to prohibit the individual use of fireworks/firecrackers and instead encourage the holding of
community fireworks displays properly supervised by authorities to reduce, if not eliminate, injuries from pyrotechnic
devices.
We should welcome the new year with festivities and various forms of noise-making, and put a stop to the longstanding but dangerous tradition of greeting it with firecrackers that have only caused grief and sorrow to many of its
unfortunate victims.
Should firecrackers be banned?
Some people say firecrackers are a waste of money. They cause serious air pollution, produce a lot of garbage and noise,
and are a huge disturbance for children and old people and also even brought trauma to animals . What do you think?
Several fireworks incidents in recent years have raised concerns about safety, There are more restrictions on
producing fireworks today, particularly after some fireworks explosions occurred over the past years. Nowadays
electronic fireworks have become popular with people who wish to celebrate the holiday without the cracking sounds of
firecrackers because they are hesitant to purchase traditional fireworks, so that they may avoid possible accidents.
While it's true that fireworks cause far less overall pollution than industry and vehicle emissions, air pollution, particularly
associated with large fireworks displays, cannot be ignored, it's also true that fireworks are merely entertainment - just
some short-lived eye/ear candy whose cultural value is questionable compared to its negative environmental impact. the
safety risk posed by fireworks due to the use, should not be underestimated. The safety regulations and recommendations
regarding retail and use of fireworks are sufficient to obtain an acceptable safety level. There is still some scope for
improvement/potential lie in the provision of information, to raise consumer awareness of the risk of accidents. Children
and adolescents should be the primary target group, since they are usually involved in accidents., I think we could feasibly
cut out fireworks and still enjoy our holidays, festivals, and other special events with other means of celebration. We
might even breathe a little easier for it. Dont make simple things grow complicated! Be safe!
Total no. of words used =1636