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January 17, 2017

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Home » City specials » Hangzhou

For safety and health, holiday loses crackle

By Wu Huixin | January 17, 2017, Tuesday | Print Edition

AHEAD of the Chinese New Year later this month, new regulations have come into effect limiting the sale and use of fireworks.

They will be banned entirely in the city districts of Shangcheng, Xiacheng, Jianggan, Gongshu, Xihu and Binjiang. In other areas, they are subject to restricted venues.

Local authorities issued a notice last week stating that illegal wholesalers of fireworks will be fined up to 100,000 yuan (US$14,426) and individuals who set off fireworks inside forbidden areas will face punishment.

In Xiaoshan, Yuhang, Fuyang, Tonglu, Chun’an, Jiande and Lin’an, fireworks can be set off only in limited areas designated by local governments. In Chun’an, for example, fireworks can only be set off in rural areas not near forests, heritage buildings, schools, government offices and other security-related sites.

Wholesalers and retailers of fireworks must be authorized by local governments, and the quality and quantity of their products will be scrutinized.

The government has set up a 12350 hotline for people to report infractions of the regulations. Rewards of up to 10,000 yuan will be given to anyone who reports illicit pyrotechnics. Citizens can also dial 110 to report illegal use of fireworks.

Hangzhou has taken the lead in fireworks regulation in Zhejiang Province, with many other cities expected to follow.

Jiaxing in northern Zhejiang Province has prohibited fireworks, effective on January 1, except in a few designated areas. Violators face fines of up to 30,000 yuan.

Some people are chafing at regulations inhibiting traditional holiday pyrotechnics.

“Banning fireworks is meaningless,” said resident Wu Yunmin. “The authorities think it will improve the air quality, but that effect will be only temporary. Setting off fireworks to celebrate the Chinese New Year is a long tradition. Without that, the festive atmosphere of the holidays will be diminished.”

Since the government cut off the number of authorized outlets eligible to sell fireworks, Wu said he had to drive some distance out of the city to buy them. He will set them off in his rural home village, where the custom has not been banned.

The spree of fireworks every year typically lasted from the eve of the lunar New Year to the end of the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month.

In Chinese mythology, Cai Shen, the god of fortune, comes down from heaven on the 15th day to bring good luck. The more the fireworks, the greater the fortune, according to ancient beliefs.

Still, more than 50 percent of people responding to an online survey said they agree with the new limitations on fireworks.

“The noisy firecrackers always keep me awake,” wrote a netizen who identified himself as Han Xiaoluo. “For so many years, all I wanted for the lunar New Year was a good night’s sleep. Setting off fireworks is an old-fashioned custom, which is a waste of money and causes smoky air for days.”

Some fireworks emit chemical compounds similar to those of motor vehicle emissions, creating a hazy atmosphere filled with potassium, aluminum, iron and cesium.

The latest crackdown on fireworks has been long in coming. In 2012, Hangzhou canceled an annual fireworks show that had been held for 10 years. In 2014, it reduced the allowable days for lighting fireworks to four from 18.

As fireworks came under tighter regulation, air quality improved. Before the restrictions, the PM2.5 index of particulate matter often soared to unhealthy levels around midnight on the eve of the lunar New Year.

At the same time, the restriction of fireworks has eased the burden on street cleaners who had to clear away tons of debris following New Year and Lantern Festival celebrations. It has also reduced the numbers of personal injuries in fireworks-related mishaps.

“Residents’ enthusiasm for fireworks has waned over the years because many people are concerned about air pollution and fire hazards,” said netizen named Qing Zhu.

Hangzhou


 

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