Nature conservation organisation calls for firework restrictions for holiday season

The Georgian-based Society for Nature Conservation on Friday asked the Parliament and the country’s Ministry of Environmental Protection to restrict use of fireworks during holiday season celebrations to prevent their negative impact on both humans and the environment.

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In an official letter submitted to the bodies, the non-governmental organisation pointed to “serious threats” for human health and animal welfare behind the visual appeal of fireworks and called for setting up of working groups to draft bills on limiting their use.

Explaining the use of toxic metals, lithium and sodium salts in production of fireworks, the Society pointed out their use could release carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen into the atmosphere in the chemical reaction during the explosion. The metal particles remain in soil, air and water and can cause “serious health issues” when inhaled or ingested, it added.

It also highlighted the danger posed by fireworks to biodiversity through its impact on bird behaviour, pointing to the effect of explosions in causing “panicked, chaotic” reactions in birds. 

Detonations of pyrotechnics cause a disorganised flight reaction and lead to collisions of birds with each other - as well as buildings and trees - as well as their injury and death, the NGO noted, adding birds were observed failing to return to their nests after experiencing the explosions. 

The organisation also highlighted the increased risk of forest fires, “serious bodily harm” to humans and long-lasting environmental pollution through pyrotechnic waste as reasons for imposing restrictions on use of fireworks.