UCI News

Should OC replace 4th of July fireworks with drone shows? Report

MSN (City News Service), June 30, 2021

June 30, 2021

Should OC replace 4th of July fireworks with drone shows? Report

Scientists at UC Irvine are calling for a reimagining of the typical 4th of July celebrations that are more environmentally friendly. A recent study on Independence Day fireworks shows spark plumes of pollutants can pose significant health risks. The lead author of the study, Amirhosein Mousavi, a postdoctoral scholar in UCI’s Program in Public Health, says the pollutants were worse in 2020 due to the COVID-19 quarantine restrictions and spurred more individual backyard fireworks displays.