Fireworks canceled in CA due to environmental regs

[Eric]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/ne...-due-to-environmental-regulations/ar-AA1daeNX

Interesting piece about cancellations of fireworks shows this year in California due to new regulations by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. Permits are now required for fireworks shows in LA County to control plastic debris entering the ocean. Doesn't seem to be much of an issue but the article cites one fireworks company that's refusing to comply this year.

 

[Ληδяέ]

Interesting piece about cancellations of fireworks shows this year in California due to new regulations by the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board. Permits are now required for fireworks shows in LA County to control plastic debris entering the ocean. Doesn't seem to be much of an issue but the article cites one fireworks company that's refusing to comply this year.

MSN

Dunno what it's like across the Pacific. Are annual fireworks displays responsible for littering the ocean-(*and anywhere people are)-to a greater extent than the mountains of toxic disposable compliance muzzles(¿?)—or even compared to the various common (toxic) plastic wrappers containing "food"-like substances(¿?)

Guessing the LA RWQCB probably doesn't require & enforce accountability upon producers &/or distributors/retailers of those face diapers aye?
Maybe there's legalistic loopholes that allow for disingenuously presenting a public facade as if there seemingly are, i wouldn't know.

i live in a small rural township of around 4500 individuals and am still constantly having to pick up & fish out all the rancid masks more than anything else around my property and stream.

The elastic straps are concerning due to how easily tangled they get, and i would suspect there's a lot of wildlife suffering from just the elastic alone.

i can't say i would know what's left of large fireworks once per year, however munted barrels & chunks of plastic come to mind. If that's reasonably close to accurate, the elastic from millions of ritualistic shame muzzles dumped far & wide every day for, what has it been now, 3-4years(¿?),...even a weeks worth would surely dwarf the remnants of a single nights fireworks, wouldn't it?

 

[Shortie]

This is something that I wish so many other places would do around the world and especially in the UK and England as well. We often have fireworks going off periodically through the year but once a year on Guy Fawkes Night (5th November) that is the night when it is crazy and if it falls on a weekend, it tends to be a whole weekend of nothing but fireworks each night.

The day after if you look around and walk around the area, you will always find remains of the fireworks which have randomly landed where they do and a lot of the time they land in areas that tend to be around wildlife which they can cause harm to wildlife, not to mention the stress they cause for animals as well when they are setting them off.

Something like a permit needed to even be able to buy or use fireworks would be great for this country but so far, nothing has changed.

 

[Eric]

The day after if you look around and walk around the area, you will always find remains of the fireworks which have randomly landed where they do and a lot of the time they land in areas that tend to be around wildlife which they can cause harm to wildlife, not to mention the stress they cause for animals as well when they are setting them off.

Aside from the state agency that's the subject of the article (LA water board), we do have various other state and federal (and probably local) laws that could come into play even if the water board didn't do anything. For example, fireworks operators could almost certainly get in trouble under the federal Endangered Species Act or California Endangered Species Act if their activities were found to be harmful to sensitive wildlife. I understand you have many similar protections in England.

The problem in both our countries might be that if you have pretty much everyone setting off fireworks themselves and the environmental harm isn't too bad, then it might be hard for the government to effectively enforce the law, since responsibility for the harm is distributed across the masses.

 

[Shortie]

Aside from the state agency that's the subject of the article (LA water board), we do have various other state and federal (and probably local) laws that could come into play even if the water board didn't do anything. For example, fireworks operators could almost certainly get in trouble under the federal Endangered Species Act or California Endangered Species Act if their activities were found to be harmful to sensitive wildlife. I understand you have many similar protections in England.

The problem in both our counties might be that if you have pretty much everyone setting off fireworks themselves and the environmental harm isn't too bad, then it might be hard for the government to effectively enforce the law, since responsibility for the harm is distributed across the masses.

It is a shame that is the case, especially when you know that it could cause so much harm to the environment and even wildlife. I honestly do believe that some authorities and even the government tend to get away with so much and it is a real shame.

 

[Nomad]

In the place where I live, it is not possible to get a fireworks permit because using fireworks is illegal. Only the government can do ahead with fireworks and it is usually during international events. Fireworks are banned for the environmental damage they cause. Fireworks not only create plastic debris but also kill bees and scare animals.

 

[Eric]

In the place where I live, it is not possible to get a fireworks permit because using fireworks is illegal. Only the government can do ahead with fireworks and it is usually during international events. Fireworks are banned for the environmental damage they cause. Fireworks not only create plastic debris but also kill bees and scare animals.

That sounds very prudent but would never be the case in the U.S. given our traditions around July 4. That being said, we have something like 10,000 people per year going to the hospital due to consumer fireworks use so something should probably be done on a safety front. In California where I live, there are more restrictions, primarily because of wildfire risk. But as you may know California is one of the more progressive states with more attention paid to environmental (e.g., as illustrated in the above water board article) and safety considerations.

 

[Debashis]

The decision to implement permits for fireworks shows in LA County aims to protect the environment, specifically against plastic debris. While the need for regulation may seem excessive, environmental responsibility is paramount. It's essential for all stakeholders, including that one fireworks company, to cooperate in safeguarding our oceans.

 

[linux.poet]

Dunno what it's like across the Pacific. Are annual fireworks displays responsible for littering the ocean-(*and anywhere people are)-to a greater extent than the mountains of toxic disposable compliance muzzles(¿?)—or even compared to the various common (toxic) plastic wrappers containing "food"-like substances(¿?)

Guessing the LA RWQCB probably doesn't require & enforce accountability upon producers &/or distributors/retailers of those face diapers aye?
Maybe there's legalistic loopholes that allow for disingenuously presenting a public facade as if there seemingly are, i wouldn't know.

i live in a small rural township of around 4500 individuals and am still constantly having to pick up & fish out all the rancid masks more than anything else around my property and stream.

The elastic straps are concerning due to how easily tangled they get, and i would suspect there's a lot of wildlife suffering from just the elastic alone.

i can't say i would know what's left of large fireworks once per year, however munted barrels & chunks of plastic come to mind. If that's reasonably close to accurate, the elastic from millions of ritualistic shame muzzles dumped far & wide every day for, what has it been now, 3-4years(¿?),...even a weeks worth would surely dwarf the remnants of a single nights fireworks, wouldn't it?

According to this article the vast majority of ocean pollution is plastic bags, bottles, plastic cutlery and food containers. The source is a university study in Spain.

I don’t think we fully understand the environmental impact of the COVID masks yet. This article tries to estimate the environmental toll of the masks, but it is incomplete. Perhaps you are suffering from a unique situation with people dumping masks on your land. I live on a 2.5 acre property in California and I don’t see a lot of mask waste here. Maybe put up a sign telling people not to dump on your land?

Meanwhile, fireworks pollute the ocean and are still bad. While they aren’t as bad as the plastic bags, curbing pollution of any type should be encouraged. Just because it’s not as effective as banning or restricting plastic bags doesn’t mean it doesn’t need to be done.

 

[Honey]

I think fireworks should be banned in every country because I don't think they have any benefits. In fact, they scare and disturb people. So, in my opinion, fireworks must be banned even for celebration purposes. It has a dangerous impact on the overall environment too. Fireworks can cause distress or a phobia in some people. It can also cause injuries or death if not handed carefully.