7 January 2025, Quezon City. The environmental and health watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition bewailed the rise in the number of people, especially young children, who were injured or killed in firecracker-related incidents, prompting it to call for stronger regulations to prevent these senseless injuries and deaths.
As the Department of Health (DOH) concluded its surveillance on incidents involving the ignition of firecrackers and fireworks, the EcoWaste Coalition lamented the 38 percent increase in related injuries from 610 in 2024 to 843 in 2025, plus three deaths due to firecrackers and one death due to a stray bullet.
Welcome the New Year with clean air.
The group also regretted the unhealthy air quality in some cities as reported by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) and IQAir (a Swiss air quality technology firm), and the tons of mixed garbage resulting from the festive revelry.
“We recognize the combined efforts of the health, fire, police, and local government authorities to prevent firecracker-and firework-related incidents. However, it is apparent from the surveillance data that more actions are required to protect human health and the environment from the negative effects of using legal and illegal firecrackers and fireworks to usher in the New Year,” said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition, which has been organizing its “Iwas Paputoxic” campaign every December since 2006.
Aside from valuing the primary leadership role of the DOH in the interagency “Iwas Paputok” campaign, the group specifically recognized the seizure and destruction by the Philippine National Police (PNP) of over 520,000 pieces of boga and other illicit firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices, as well as its effort to go after the individuals behind online DIY tutorials on boga (improvised cannons). It also acknowledged the information drive undertaken by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), which contributed to the reduction of firecracker-related fire incidents across the country.
Firecrackers are hazardous to health.
In pushing for the government to toughen existing laws and regulations on firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices, the EcoWaste Coalition cited the following justifications:
1. The need to stop the senseless injuries, and, in worst cases, deaths attributed to actual use or exposure to legal and illegal firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices affecting the most vulnerable population groups – the children and youth.
2. The need to curb the discharge of hazardous environmental pollutants such as particulate matter (PM), gases, heavy metals, and other emissions from firecracker explosions. The levels of PM2.5 and PM10, for example, on New Year’s Day far exceed WHO’s 24-hour recommended guideline values of 35 micrograms (mcg) per cubic meter (cbm) for PM2.5 and 150 mcg/cbm for PM10.
3. The need to avoid fire incidents due to firecrackers and fireworks.
4. The need to protect animals, particularly cats and dogs, against the deafening sounds, blinding lights and noxious fumes from exploding firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices.
To protect human health and the ecosystems from firecrackers and fireworks, the group proposed the following:
1. Ban and penalize the sale of all types of firecrackers and fireworks to children, similar to the ban on selling cigarettes to minors, and prohibit children from using them.
2. Review and expand the list of illegal firecrackers to include currently legal firecrackers that caused most of the injuries, kwitis in particular.
3. Ban the use of modified mufflers in motorcycles and scooters to rev up the engine, which generates very loud, ear-splitting cracking sound.
4. Phase out personal or household use of firecrackers and fireworks.
5. Provide for real-time monitoring and reporting of emissions data, especially in the hours before and after the New Year revelry, and for the issuance of the necessary air quality and health advisory.
6. Monitor the impacts of firecrackers and fireworks and firecrackers to animals, especially cats and dogs.
7. Intensify public information and law enforcement activities at all levels to promote awareness and ensure strict compliance with firecracker regulations.
The EcoWaste Coalition strongly prefers the non-production and use of firecrackers and fireworks. The use of safe alternative noisemakers that will not pose any harm to people, animals, and the ecosystems in line with the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
“The greater public interest dictates that a tougher policy be adopted to put an end to the preventable cycle of injuries, deaths, fires, and toxic pollution due to firecrackers and fireworks,” the EcoWaste Coalition emphasized.
