As Fourth of July fireworks light up the night sky, health experts are warning that the celebration can send smoke, particles and gases into the air that may make breathing harder for some people. Dr. Afif El-Hasan is urging high-risk spectators to keep their distance and avoid setting off fireworks at home.
The warning matters now because the holiday brings those exposures into neighborhoods across the country at the same time. Nearly 300 million pounds of fireworks are released into the atmosphere each year in the U.S., and the American Lung Association says a 2015 study found air pollution levels rise by an average of 42% on the Fourth of July.
The concern is not just the smoke you can see. Fireworks can release tiny particles and gases such as sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, along with metals including aluminum, manganese and cadmium. The American Lung Association says inhaling those chemicals can irritate the lungs, make it hard to breathe and lead to serious health problems, while some illegal fireworks may also contain lead, which it called extremely dangerous because of the risk of lasting health damage.
That risk lands hardest on people who already have less room to breathe. Children, older adults and pregnant women are especially vulnerable, along with people with lung and heart disease. Smoke from fireworks can worsen symptoms and trigger flare-ups in people with asthma or COPD, turning a familiar holiday tradition into a problem for families who expected only a night of celebration.
The conflict is plain: fireworks remain a fixture of Fourth of July celebrations, but the smoke they produce can be harmful to vulnerable people who are nearby. For people with breathing problems, the safest move is not to stay close and hope for the best, but to watch from a distance and limit exposure whenever possible. That is the choice Dr. El-Hasan is asking them to make this year.
