Demand Soars for Eco-Friendly Fireworks

More and more people are asking for fireworks with less of an impact on the environment, and researchers are working hard to meet this demand. In case you were wondering, those big exploding things in the sky aren't exactly good for the planet. Scientists agree that a small handful of fireworks displays over the course of the year do not have too much of a long-term impact (though the short term impact is quite measureable).

The real problem comes in places where fireworks are set off night after night in the same location. Disney parks are a common example of a place where pyrotechnic displays are very frequent. That's why Disney was one of the leaders in asking for more eco-friendly fireworks. People were also asking for safer fireworks that could be set off indoors (as in an enclosed sports stadium), where ventilation is restricted.

Scientists took a step-by-step approach to addressing this problem. Fireworks have five basic components:

• Black powder
• Fuel
• Oxidizer - Accelerates burning
• Coloring agents
• Casing - The packaging, pieces of which fall to the ground

Ideally, a more eco-friendly solution for pyrotechnics would address all five of these components. First, let's look at black powder, which traditional fireworks contain to get them off of the ground. Disney eliminated this issue entirely by commissioning a system that could launch fireworks using compressed air. Disney's researchers also found that a fuel high in nitrogren would produce far less smoke. This meant less carbon, but less smoke also meant less oxidant and coloring chemical was needed to produce the same display. 

Traditional fireworks rely on potassium perchlorate as an oxidant. Ideally most if not all of this chemical is consumed in the burning process. Often, however, some or all of it is not consumed and it falls back down to earth, where it quickly enters the water supply. Potassium perchlorate is a rather nasty chemical, and can cause serious health issues in high concentrations.

Researchers have yet to replace potassium perchlorate entirely with any success. Similarly, traditional coloring agents have yet to be replaced. However, researchers emphasize that the amount of oxidant and coloring chemicals used with the low-smoke, nitrogen-reliant pyrotechnics is quite small, and they are very confident in the safety of even indoor use. 

Finally for the firework casing. If you have ever seen the location of a fireworks display the morning after, you know that there is a great amount of debris scattered around the area. The answer was relatively simple for this one: develop biodegradable pyrotechnic casings. That is exactly what researchers did, and these new biodegradeable fireworks are becoming more and more popular with event organizers. 

So that's the state of eco-friendlier pyrotechnics. Again, I would like to emphasize that scientists agree there is very little harm in having a yearly fireworks display. So enjoy the Fourth, everyone, and next year, encourage your local display organizers to consider some of the greener options. Happy Independence Day!