O say can you breathe? Fireworks pollute the air
NEW YORK -- July Fourth fireworks fill the skies across the nation with more than sparkling bursts of color. They spew pollution, too.
A study of 315 locations around the country found that the holiday explosions temporarily boosted the levels of airborne microscopic particles that can pose a health risk. Breathing in airborne particles can cause respiratory or cardiovascular problems, especially in elderly people and those with asthma or pre-existing heart or lung disease, according to the World Health Organization.
"Not only is it bad for your hearing, it's also not good for your lungs, potentially," Dr. Roshini Raj told CBS News. "These are very small particles that can actually get lodged into the lungs and cause wheezing, coughing."
The study, published in the journal Atmospheric Environment, is believed to be the first to look at the impact of fireworks on air quality over multiple years and locations around the country.
At 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. on July 4, levels of those particles were more than twice the normal average, researchers found. But they tapered off overnight. "By noon on July 5, the air quality has pretty much returned to normal," Raj said.
Smaller studies have also linked fireworks to particle pollution.
The researchers investigated whether particle levels were higher if July 4 fell on a weekday or weekend, as it does this year, but found it made little difference.
Dian Seidel of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, one of the study authors, said the research did not look for any resulting effects on health.
But in response to the research, the Environmental Protection Agency noted Tuesday that children, older adults, and people with heart disease, asthma or other lung diseases are considered to be particularly sensitive to particle pollution. The agency recommended that they limit their exposure by watching fireworks from upwind.
"We want everyone to enjoy their local fireworks displays," the agency said in a statement.