Green Fireworks?

As we enter this 4^th of July weekend our minds fill with wonderful thoughts of barbecues, flag waiving and most of all, the spectacle of fireworks. Being a firework enthusiast myself I was interested in learning more about these enchantments, but also weary of what I might find. 

In addition to the traditional recipe for things that go boom, today’s billion-dollar Pyrotechnic industry uses metals such as magnesium and copper to achieve different colors and light intensities. ^[1] Recently as firework shows have become more technical, some fireworks even contain computer chips to help timing.

As I read more about fireworks and their ingredients my worries were confirmed with reports of toxic byproducts of firework displays such as heavy metals, chlorates, and dioxins accumulating in the air, water, and land. These products are mostly the result of the oxidizer component of the firework breaking down. ^[2] Talk about a buzz-kill.

This dark side of fireworks at times may even pose a serious threat to air quality. During extreme instances the EPA takes notice ^[3]. This toxic side effect of fireworks and safety concerns has caused some cities to opt for expensive laser shows over the traditional firework displays. 

However, to the relief of firework lovers like myself, there is the possibility of green fireworks, and not just in color. Fireworks have been developed and used that utilize nitrogen rich compounds and other less toxic components. These new ecofriendly fireworks can also be smokeless. To put the cherry on top they are even said to be more vivid in color than standard fireworks.

As one can guess, there is probably a reason we don’t use them—price. These green fireworks are currently cost prohibitive for larger scale shows but have been used for smaller scale displays. Perhaps, in the future given the right consumer demand we can have large-scale shows using smokeless, more colorful, and non-toxic fireworks.     

-John Brooker

Sources

[1] “Chemistry of Firework Colors.” About.com Chemistry. Web. 01 July 2014.

[1]Wiley-Blackwell. “Environmentally Friendly Fireworks And Other Pyrotechnics.”   

      ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 19 March 2008.

      <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080317102449.htm>.

[2]”Treatment of Data Influenced by Exceptional Events.” EPA. Environmental 

       Protection Agency, n.d. Web. 03 July 2014.