Photo: Fireworks over Beijing
Source: The Beijinger

February 4, 2013
By Pang Lei

An official with Beijing's Fireworks Assocation has told the Beijing News that the city is considering banning fireworks on heavily polluted days as part of a package of measures aimed at dealing with air pollution in the capital.

According to today's Beijing News, Kang Jiyong (康紀永), the secretary-general of the Beijing Fireworks Assocation said that officials are considering whether to include a fireworks ban on certain days as part of plan to counter heavily polluted air in the capital.

"When there is heavy pollution, perhaps they'll prohibit the setting-off of fireworks," Kang told the newspaper.

Kang explained that any ban would depend on weather conditions. As the residue from the fireworks will only linger in the air for a short period if the right weather conditions exist and thus don't pose much of a problem, if it's already foggy and there's no wind, the residue can sit in the air for a long time and have a big impact on the environment.

According to the report, stalls selling fireworks in Beijing will open for business tomorrow.

A stall holder in Wangjing told a journalist from the Beijing News that she was very worried that sales would be down this year due to some residents cutting back on their use of fireworks becasue of the recent heavy air pollution.

The article also notes that the kinds of fireworks on sale this year have also been restricted. A reduction in the size of the largest fireworks permitted, which was introduced last, has been maintained and certain chemicals have been banned from being used in the fireworks sold through the approved stalls.

Links and Sources
The Beijing News: 北京研究煙花禁放寫入污染應急方案