Fireworks displays over water can hurt plants, wildlife there

By ALANA PERSSON, LACONIA DAILY SUN

LACONIA  — The colorful fireworks displays that light up the the sky each year around the Fourth of July may be beautiful to the eye, but can be harmful to the environment when set off over lakes, according to Tom O’Brien, President of the New Hampshire Lakes Association.

As the season of fireworks begins, people are encouraged to set fireworks off away from water in order to prevent chemicals and debris from ending up in the water. Alternatives include large open fields or event venues.

“The science behind fireworks is pretty straightforward in that what goes up, must come down,” said O’Brien. “Data shows that the ingredients of fireworks can negatively impact water quality, although we do not know the full extent of the impact.”

In preparation for the Fourth of July, Atlas Fireworks of Belmont has already sold 5,500 fireworks and expects to sell many more within the first few days of July, according to the store manager. Local cities and towns have also purchased fireworks for large displays, which will be set off, in addition to the personal firework displays by local citizens.

Although these fireworks displays are expected to produce a sense of awe among viewers, they are also expected to produce a lot of debris that will scatter around the area surrounding the shows. If debris is not cleaned up from the surrounding land and lakes, it has the potential to negatively affect the wildlife and water quality in the Lakes Region, according to David Neils the Director of the Jody Connor Limnology Center.

In addition to the debris from fireworks that can litter and contaminate the local lakes, the chemicals that land in the water are noted as harmful, based upon a study from the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services. A common chemical that is released in fireworks is ammonium perchlorate, which is known to contaminate ground and surface waters, and can cause harm to aquatic creatures residing in the lake. Further, copper compounds, sulfur dioxide, lead nitrate and lead chloride are released when fireworks are let off, and can be a hazard to the environment if released in mass amounts. Thus, it is better for water bodies if fewer fireworks are set off in a concentrated area around a water body.

These chemicals, paired with an increase in swimmers in the lakes during the holiday, can cause high levels of bacteria due to an excessive amount of nutrients entering the water within a short amount of time. The increase in pollution by Fourth of July participants can be avoided by setting fireworks off away from the water and by using the public restrooms provided at beaches.

Freworks displays in celebration of the Fourth of July have been a staple for many decades, and presently there is no plan on ending the displays in years to come.

Although there are concerns with setting fireworks off around water bodies, there have been modifications made by the firework companies that have made it less likely to cause harm now than in years past. Presently, companies have stopped using the chemical phosphorus in fireworks, as in the past it had led to an increase in cyanobacterial scums, a decrease in lake clarity and an increase in algal blooms.

“We know that letting off fireworks is a longstanding tradition for the Fourth of July,” said O’Brien. “So, we are trying to use education to encourage people enjoy the fireworks in alternative sites, not over water.”

Kevin Dunleavey, director of Laconia Parks and Recreation, said the city used to set off fireworks over the water at Opechee Point, but moved them due to new fireworks regulations. Such shows needed to be at a greater distance from buildings and the people nearby. To adjust to this regulation, the department moved the fireworks to barges on the lakes for two years but ran into logistical issues, said Dunleavy. 

Since then, the fireworks have been moved to the center of Smith Field and are compliant with regulations. Dunleavy said that while some people were upset that the fireworks were moved from the lake location, most are content with the track location. He added that there is less of a chance for fireworks debris to get into the water from the track. 

In Laconia, crews are brought in the morning after the fireworks display to clean up any debris that is around the area. Fireworks in The Weirs are still set off by the beach, as they do not have any alternate location, he said, so each morning after the displays a crew cleans up the shoreline, which often contains remains of fireworks that had fallen into the water. Most of the debris is picked up, according to Dunleavy, although he admits some may still unavoidably end up in the water by The Weirs.