DENR warns against health, environmental effects of fireworks

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has seconded the Department of Health's "Iwas Paputok" campaign, releasing its own advisory detailing the harmful effects of pyrotechnics to the environment.

Aside from the risk of losing fingers and limbs, the DENR reminded the public that firecrackers usually contain "highly toxic heavy metals like cadmium and lead, in addition to other metals like copper, manganese, zinc, sodium, magnesium, and potassium" that ruin the earth's atmosphere.

The pollutants in the fireworks easily enter the lungs and cause a number of health problems including:

• Dizziness
• Heart disturbances
• Asthma attack
• Allergy
• Bronchitis
• Emphysema
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD)
• Laryngitis
• Pneumonia

In January 2015, the DENR released a news bulletin about the pollution in Metro Manila reaching hazardous levels due to fireworks during New Year's Eve.

According to the World Health Organization, air is unhealthy above 100 micrograms of PM10 or particular matter/coarse dust particles. At 300, all children and the elderly should remain indoors. During New Year's Eve, the PM10 reading went as high as 2,000 micrograms in Las Piñas.

Using these numbers, DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje urged lawmakers to review Republic Act No. 7183 or the law regulating the sale, manufacture, distribution and use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices and make it consistent with the Philippine Clean Air Act. The DENR recommends strongly that people do away with fireworks during the holidays.

"It has always been the Department’s campaign to observe and practice proper waste management, among others, to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to mitigate the worst impacts of climate change," DENR Assistant Secretary Juan Miguel T. Cuna said. —AT/ALG, GMA News