A recent NYU study highlighted the significant air and water pollution caused by Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks in Manhattan, showing pollutant levels much higher than those from wildfire smoke and lasting several hours. Researchers from NYU Langone Health observed a dramatic increase in air pollution levels in Manhattan following Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks show, with pollutant concentrations far exceeding those from recent wildfire smoke. The study revealed that such pollution persists for hours and is accompanied by a rise in hazardous metals in the East River.
Ongoing research aims to explore the broader health implications of these emissions, underscoring a need for public caution and preventive measures during such displays. In 2023, roughly 60,000 firework shells exploded above Manhattan’s East River as part of Macy’s Fourth of July show. The resulting air pollutant levels were many times higher in the hours after the display than those seen when smoke from a Canadian wildfire had blanketed the area a month before.
This is according to the results of a new study, led by researchers at NYU Langone Health, which measured air quality just before and after the Independence Day event, one of the largest in the United States. Tiny particles of hazardous metals and organic compounds peaked at 3,000 micrograms per cubic meter at an air sampling site near the show and topped 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter at two other nearby locations. By comparison, New York Cit.