Air pollution surges amid New Year fireworks
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E-mail Xinhua, February 20, 2015
Setting off fireworks during the Lunar New Year is an age-old tradition in China, with ancient superstitions believing the light and sound would scare away evil spirits. In more recent years, they're used to bring a festive atmosphere during the country's most important holiday.
However, fireworks have been increasingly blamed for contributing to the country's smog problem, pushing local governments to implement measures forbidding or limiting firework displays.
Firecracker orders at Beijing retailers are down 20 percent this year as authorities have slashed the number of permitted sales days and reduced retail spots amid pollution concerns.
Firecrackers are officially available at temporary retail spots across Beijing ahead of the Lunar New Year. Beijing authorities have cut the number of days when firecrackers may be sold from 20 to 11.
But it is a different scenario in the countryside, where there is no restrictions on firecrackers.
The consumption of fireworks in the countryside is on the rise in recent years, said Li Shuai, a staff with the Anhui Provincial Fireworks and Firecrackers Association.
In Qianshan County alone, the sales revenue is more than 50 million yuan (8.16 million US dollars) per year, said Li.
"The living standard in rural areas is increasing and setting off firecrackers has become a way of blessing and entertainment for rural residents," he said.
Migrant workers who come back home always set off a large number of firecrackers during the New Year to show off how much they have earned in the cities, said Wei Bin, a cultural official in Rongshui Miao Autonomous County in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
"Because of the restrictions in the cities, some urban residents choose to indulge themselves in the fireworks show in the countryside," said Shi Ke, who is in charge of a fireworks company in Guangxi.
Setting off firecrackers definitely will cause short-term air pollution but it is not fair to blame the cause of smog solely to firecrackers, said Pan Gongpei, a professor with Nanjing University of Science and Technology.
When expecting the government to do more to curb pollution, the public should also try to change their mindset and way of living by setting off less firecrackers or abandoning the habit to contribute to more "blue skies," said Pan.
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