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Are Those Pretty Fireworks Toxic?

Posted by Amanda Terkel, Think Progress at 11:56 AM on July 4, 2009.


Scientists say yes.
fireworks

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Scientists are increasingly worried that the beautiful fireworks millions of Americans will be watching this Independence Day contain toxic chemicals that may pose a threat to the environment. A particular focus is perchlorate, which helps “create the combustion reaction needed for the explosion.” According to a 2009 article in the journal Environmental Science and Technology, “the amount of perchlorate in nearby bodies of water could increase by anywhere from 24 to 1,068 times the amount present before the fireworks, and that it takes 20 to 80 days for the chemical levels to subside.” When ingested, perchlorate can hinder the thyroid’s production of growth hormones. In response, some chemists are looking for other solutions, including cleaner-burning fireworks that use nitrate-based oxidants.

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Tagged as: fireworks

Amanda Terkel is Deputy Research Director at the Center for American Progress and serves as Deputy Editor for The Progress Report and ThinkProgress.org at the Center for American Progress.


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You should have been near wall street after 9/11
Posted by: weathered on Jul 4, 2009 8:05 PM   
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the smell was at times disfiguring.

Indict Silverstein, he's got WTC blood all over his hands.

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Duh
Posted by: foreverhope on Jul 4, 2009 11:19 PM   
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Scientists are increasingly worried that the beautiful fireworks millions of Americans will be watching this Independence Day contain toxic chemicals that may pose a threat to the environment.

toxic chemicals? threat to enviroment? really? they are just now considering this and worried? brilliant.

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Still waiting
Posted by: progressive-life on Jul 5, 2009 4:42 PM   
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.....for one positive upbeat article on the 4th of July.. instead of nothing but negative "America sucks" and fireworks are toxic messages!

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30 minutes a year, of "possible" toxic chemicals. Please!
Posted by: sasquuatch55 on Jul 5, 2009 4:42 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
nt

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