I love a good fireworks display as much as anyone, but the use of illegal
fireworks has started again on my block, so I wanted to send a reminder.
(Except for permitted, professional pyrotechnics displays) MN law allows
only "nonexplosive and nonaerial" fireworks, meaning anything that booms or
flies is NOT legal to use. (https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=624.20
<https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=624.20&year=2009> &year=2009
contains specifics on legal and illegal fireworks)
Every year thousands of American children are seriously injured by illegal
fireworks and tens of thousands of accidental fires are started. I've lived
in two places where neighbors' illegal fireworks set homes on fire.
Please remember, too, that fireworks pollute air, water, and soil, and raise
noise pollution levels. As a result, fireworks cause health problems for
people (and pets) with heart and respiratory conditions (asthma, COPD, etc.)
and nervous conditions (like anxiety and PTSD). And fireworks add more toxic
metals to our lakes, and those toxins accumulate in the fish that are
consumed by many Minnesotans.
Already MN fish ("walleyes, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass,
channel catfish, flathead catfish, white sucker, drum, burbot, sauger, carp,
lake trout, white bass, rock bass, white fish, other species") are so toxic
that healthy adults are advised not to eat more than one meal of these fish
per week
(http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/fish/eating/safeeating.html-)
The penalties for use of illegal fireworks include confiscation of those
items as well as up to 90 days in jail and/or a $1,000 fine
(https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=624.25
<https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/?id=624.25&year=2009> &year=2009).
For more info, please see these sites:
http://www.geocities.com/Yosemite/Falls/9200/toxic_fireworks.html
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fireworks4-2008jul04,0,245124,full.s
tory
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/02/beijing-fireworks-air-pollution.php
http://www.angelfire.com/co3/NCFS/pollution.html
Have a safe, peaceful summertime.