China is working hard to curb pollution and is making great strides. However, fireworks is also being used as a scapegoat.
As example, fireworks sales and use were banned in China’s capital, Beijing. Unlike western countries where bans are largely ignored, there was not a firework to be heard in Beijing this New Year. However, not surprisingly, the ban had little to no effect on pollution. The day after the New Year a thick smog blanketed the capital. The reason is that fireworks smoke can only produce a minuscule amount of pollution compared to the millions of cars, homes and business that relay on fossil fuels to produce energy.
An exhaustive study of the true causes of Beijing’s PM2.5 pollution was conducted in October 2017 by the Key Laboratory of Beijing on Regional Air Pollution Control, College of Environmental & Energy Engineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China.
What they found was the weather was the main factor driving periods of heavy smog. They found no correlation at all to fireworks. In fact, what they found was that three typical weather patterns caused the heavy pollution: (1) Siberian high and uniform high pressure field, (2) cold front and low-voltage system, and (3) uniform low pressure field. A PMF analysis indicated that secondary aerosols and coal combustion, vehicle, industry, biomass burning, and dust were the important sources of PM. Not fireworks. Details of the study can be found at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.151
Sadly, a 1,000 year old tradition was brought to an end in the capital city.
In a statement, the Beijing city Government said officials must “take the lead” in not setting off fireworks or firecrackers.
“Have firm environmental protection consciousness and a sense of responsibility,” it said.
“Proactively guide family members and friends not to let off or to limit the letting off of fireworks and firecrackers, improve air quality together and get into the action of ensuring blue skies for the capital.”
Hopefully the persistence of the pollution will be obvious to the citizens and they will encourage China to return to its rich heritage of using fireworks to celebrate the Chinese New Year. It would be a true loss to end 1,000 years of tradition all for nothing.
Fireworks stands such as this one below were absent from Beijing city in 2018.
