Firecrackers set off during China's biggest holiday, the Spring Festival, caused severe air pollution in 60 of China's largest cities.

In particular, due to the holiday for the first time in three years after the COVID-19 quarantine policy was lifted, many people across the country are enjoying firecrackers, causing such serious air pollution.

On the 3rd (local time), local media such as China's Shangyu newspaper quoted a briefing given by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment.

"During the Spring Festival holiday (January 23-1), the impact of firecrackers and fireworks caused severe air pollution situations in 21 cities in 27 provinces, and the cumulative number of pollution days in these cities reached 16 days," China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment said at a briefing.

"Air pollution was particularly severe in Henan, Shandong, Hunan, Shaanxi, Liaoning and Jilin provinces."

Spring Festival firecrackers polluted the air in these cities for an average of 60.76 days.

China's air quality index (AQI) is divided into six levels: excellent (1 to 27), good (0 to 50), light pollution (51 to 100), moderate pollution (101 to 150), severe pollution (151 to 200), and severe pollution (201 to 300).

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment said, "We will strengthen environmental pollution prevention measures for cities with a large number of severely polluted days to achieve the goal of reducing the proportion of mid-range or higher pollution days nationwide to less than 301% by 500."



Enlarge the image

Enlarge the image

▲ People enjoying fireworks all over China


On the other hand, fireworks in China are one of the traditional games that are played on a large scale from the full moon of the Spring Festival to the full moon of the new year.

The game started with the myth that loud explosions, fireworks, and other firecrackers are used to ward off demons and bad luck, but the problem is the incident caused by this.

Every year during the Spring Festival, there is a saying that "Spring Festival smog," and the gunpowder smoke generated by a huge amount of firecrackers has added to the smog, and firecracker garbage has been left on the streets, which has caused controversy.

As a result, Chinese authorities banned all urban centers starting in Beijing in 1993 to prevent fires and environmental pollution, and they disappeared altogether until last year due to COVID-19.

However, after a flurry of petitions to allow fireworks after the easing of quarantines, most local governments partially allowed or did not crack down on them during this year's Spring Festival.

This led to fires in Shanghai believed to be caused by firecrackers, as well as methane gas exploding after firecrackers entered manholes.



Enlarge the image

▲ Fire accident caused by firecrackers splashing


(Photo= SBS 8News report captured)