With it being 4th of July, 2025, I am inspired to bring awareness to the issue of Fireworks.
I know that a great many enjoy them - and I can admit that the bursts of colors, the heights they travel to, the noises they make, and so much more are really spectacular and worthy of admiration. Even in some of my favorite literature, fireworks feature prominently in certain scenes as it adds an air of profundity to any celebration. Cue the dialogue in the Hobbit where Gandalf was well remembered by Bilbo for his Fireworks on Old Took's Midsummer's Eve celebrations in the Shire. Alas, what erupts in brilliant colored lights and causes so much beauty and splendor paradoxically also causes so much toxicity and disease.
Last year in 2024, Americans spent approximately $2.8 billion on fireworks, with consumer-grade fireworks averaging $8.92 per pound. This suggests that roughly 314 million pounds of fireworks were discharged nationwide.
When fireworks are combusted, they release a complex mixture of toxic substances, including heavy metals, gaseous pollutants, particulate matter, and organic toxins. Here is a detailed breakdown of the major toxic ingredients and byproducts created during firework displays:
1. Heavy Metals:
Metal Color - Effect - Toxicity
Strontium (Sr) - Red - Respiratory irritant, bone accumulation
Barium (Ba) - Green -Toxic to the heart, kidneys, and nervous system
Copper (Cu) - Blue - Can cause lung irritation, liver and kidney damage
Sodium (Na) - Yellow - Irritating at high concentrations
Aluminum (Al) - White/silver - Potential neurotoxin, linked to Alzheimer’s (controversial)
Antimony (Sb) - Glitter effects - Suspected carcinogen, respiratory irritant
Lead (Pb) - Deep colors - Neurotoxin, especially dangerous to children
Chromium (Cr) Assorted effects Hexavalent form is a known carcinogen
Titanium (Ti) - Sparks - Can cause lung inflammation in fine particulate form
Magnesium (Mg) - Bright flashes - Less toxic, but can be irritating in fine particulate form
2. Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10).
Sources: Metal salts, black powder residues, and other combusted compounds.
Hazards: Can penetrate deep into the lungs, trigger asthma, heart attacks, and increase mortality from cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.
3. Gaseous Pollutants
Gas Source Health Impacts
Sulfur dioxide (SO₂) Sulfur-based oxidizers Respiratory irritation, worsens asthma
Nitrogen oxides (NOx) Combustion of black powder Ozone precursor, lung damage
Carbon monoxide (CO) Incomplete combustion Reduces oxygen delivery to tissues
Carbon dioxide (CO₂) Combustion product Greenhouse gas, global warming contributor
Hydrochloric acid (HCl) Chlorinated compounds in fireworks Irritates eyes, throat, and respiratory tract
4. Perchlorates (ClO₄⁻)
Use: As oxidizers in black powder and flash powder.
Problem: Water-soluble; contaminate groundwater and surface water.
Toxicity: Disrupt thyroid function by interfering with iodine uptake.
5. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Source: Incomplete combustion of organic materials in fireworks.
Health Risks: Many PAHs are mutagenic and carcinogenic. Exposure increases risks of cancer, especially in the lungs and bladder.
6. Dioxins and Furans (in rare formulations)
When Present: Chlorinated compounds + incomplete combustion.
Hazard: Extremely toxic, endocrine disruptors, immunotoxin, carcinogenic.
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So let's explore some numbers about Firework composition:
- 40-60% of the formula is Black Powder:
Byproducts: Potassium oxide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, fine particulates (PM2.5/PM10).
Toxicity: High — especially in particulate and gaseous form.
- 5-10% are Metal Salts:
Byproducts: Airborne heavy metals (as listed above).
Toxicity: Very high — these persist in air, water, and soil.
- 10-20% are Perchlorates and Nitrates:
Byproducts: Perchlorate ions, nitrogen oxides (NOx).
Toxicity: High — perchlorates contaminate water and affect thyroid function.
- 10-15% are Binders/Fuels:
Byproducts: PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), CO, CO₂.
Toxicity: Moderate to high — PAHs are carcinogenic.
Multiple peer-reviewed studies (e.g., JAMA, Atmospheric Environment, Nature Scientific Reports) have attempted to quantify this.
The consensus is that between 60% to 90% of a firework’s mass is either:
- Directly converted into toxic airborne or aqueous pollutants
- Or leaves behind solid toxic residues (e.g., uncombusted metals, ash)
These toxic residues include:
Gases (CO, NOx, SO₂)
Metals (Cu, Ba, Sr, Pb, etc.)
Acids (HCl, HNO₃)
Particulates (PM2.5, black carbon, ash)
Organic toxins (PAHs, dioxins in some cases)
Water pollutants (perchlorates, heavy metals)
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Okay, so let's quantify.
Let's go with the lowest estimate and just start there: 60% of 314 million pounds is 188,400,000 pounds of toxic material in the country every July 4th!
Let that one sink in: 188 million 400 thousand pounds of toxic materials polluting Land, Sea, and Sky. And then you eat the food and breathe the air of these matrices as they support all biological life on Earth.
When you breathe toxic air and eat toxic food and drink and bathe in toxic water, you become toxic. Inevitably, you will develop diseases and illnesses. You then go to your doctor who has subscribed to an inept and ineffective and philosophically incorrect theory of pathology and, instead of assessing and eliminating the toxic causation of your disease, prescribes you yet more toxic substances. And then you develop side effects. And this goes on and on until you die - and it's not like you had a good run at it, you were breaking down and feeling like shit during the last 30-40 years of your life. Maybe more. This is the scenario that I see about 90% of the time with clients.
When we get ill, or when we wonder why we are in such bad shape and why we need so many supplements, minerals, herbs, medications, etc; we often need to look at all the many facets from which we are introduced to toxins in the modern world. During this time of year (and Chinese New Year and New Year's Eve as well), we are needlessly harming ourselves and nearly all other biological life forms.
I work with People, Natural Beings (animals, trees, plants, etc), Soil, Air, and Water. I analyze and test them all regularly and attempt to understand, evaluate, and heal them all to the best of my capacity and skill. From my perspective, everything I see is very ill these days due largely to toxicities. As far as I can tell, things like fireworks rank at the least useful and most readily disposable thing we engage in where we can eliminate an enormous environmental toxic load.
Just chew over this information as something to consider.
Since I can't opt out of this one alone, it would take a massive shift in consciousness and awareness around the issue to put a ban to the toxic frivolity.
If you have any suggestions on actions to take to help spread the awareness around this issue, please email us at support@phoenixaurelius.org
