And yes that copper, aluminum, strontium, barium, rubidium, cadmium, and the perchlorates used to lauch them into the sky all come back down to the sea and soil as pollutants. I was shocked to learn some of those coloring chemicals are even radioactive! I will give my usual one simple recommendation here: eliminate or closely restrict personal use firework permits. In my opinion, fireworks are too much a part of our American tradition and culture to eliminate entirely (or to suggest replacing them with laser light shows) but we might do just as well getting together more to view them.

I know this is brief but that’s because another website has done THE BEST job of describing (even animating) the environmental effects of fireworks. You can even set off your own fireworks and watch the pollution fall-out: http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/translating-uncle-sam/stories/are-fireworks-bad-for-the-environment.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/06/are-july-4th-fireworks-bad-for-the-environment/1

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/nov/08/pollutionwatch-fireworks-bonfires-smoke