Fireworks reduce air quality – Avoid smoky places

Fireworks contain a number of chemicals that reduce air quality on the night of New Year’s Eve, especially in calm weather. Fireworks generate a lot of particles, and their quantity can locally be up to ten times higher than normal.
Breathing in smoke should be avoided
The smoke from fireworks is not good for anyone’s health, so it should be avoided as much as possible. Especially people with asthma, other chronic respiratory conditions and coronary artery disease, as well as children, should watch fireworks from a distance.
“If you want to watch fireworks, you should avoid places where smoke is clearly visible close to the ground or the air smells of smoke”, our Expert in Air Quality Outi Väkevä advises.
Quantity of fine particles increases up to tenfold on the night of New Year’s Eve
Fireworks generate a lot of particles. For this reason, fireworks reduce air quality on the night of New Year’s Eve, especially if the weather is calm and frosty. In windy weather, air pollutants are diluted faster.
“In calm weather, the concentrations of fine particles can temporarily rise to very high levels on the night of New Year’s Eve. Last New Year, the highest measured hourly concentration of fine particles was nearly 100 micrograms per cubic metre (μg/m3) in Tikkurila, Vantaa. The previous year, up to about 180 μg/m3 of fine particles per hour were measured at the same monitoring site”, Väkevä says.
The annual average of fine particles in the Helsinki metropolitan area is about 6–8 μg/m3. Air quality is classified as poor if the hourly concentration of fine particles exceeds 50 μg/m3. In addition to air pollutants, the use of fireworks also increases litter and noise, which can be scary and stressful for people with sensitive hearing as well as pets.
Sort waste from fireworks correctly
If you set off fireworks yourself, be sure to take care of the waste as well. With regard to the packaging materials of fireworks, you can place the carton in carton collection and the plastic in plastic collection. Sort used fireworks into mixed waste once they have cooled down.
Firework rockets that do not work or that have not been used can be returned to the point of sale. If the point of sale is no longer in operation, you can contact the importer, who will provide further instructions. If necessary, you can also contact your local police district and ask for instructions there.
Explosive items must not be placed in waste containers or taken to hazardous waste reception points.
- Concentrations of air pollutants
- Health effects of fine particles and other air pollutants
- Fireworks reduce air quality
- Waste guide