IT’S THE HOLIDAYS and in this part of the world it is, among others, a season for the unsafe and unhealthful practice of setting off firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices.
Yes, this is the most opportune time to be reminded of President Duterte’s executive order regulating the use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices. The order aims to save lives and protect the climate, the environment and the public health from hazardous emissions and wastes.
Firecrackers and fireworks cause serious, if not fatal, injuries to users and non-users alike. They generate carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change, and produce toxic fumes that degrade air quality and aggravate respiratory and cardiovascular episodes.
Aside from producing ear-splitting noise that is painful for humans and even animals, firecrackers and fireworks create thick smog resulting to poor visibility, causing public safety hazards.
Also, these generate tons of toxic-laced non-reusable and non-recyclable discards disposed of in streets, waterways, dumpsites and landfills, and worse, they can lead to fires.
The truth is that firecrackers and fireworks squander hard-earned money for a few minutes of “dirty” entertainment that is better spent for food, clothing, books, medicines and other necessities. Let’s be practical and realistic. Let’s do away with firecrackers to save lives, protect the environment and our health.
The massive detonation of both legal and illegal pyrotechnics goes against the basic state policies of protecting human health and the ecosystems as enshrined in the Constitution. Certainly, we can celebrate the holidays – other special occasions – in a non-toxic, non-wasteful fashion through non-deafening and non-injurious ways.
