An anti-chemical pollution advocacy group urged the public not to keep unused firecrackers and fireworks at home and to dispose them properly.
It is not good to store unused firecrackers and fireworks,” Ecowaste Coalition national coordinator Aileen Lucero said in a press conference at the Tondo Medical Center in Manila City.
She warned that such items can cause fire, injury and poisoning, especially among children. It is best to soak them in water in preparation for disposal,” she said.
Firecrackers and fireworks are classified as hazardous waste.
They must be submerged in water for at least five minutes to ensure they can no longer be lighted.
They must also be placed in a separate container with proper label to keep them from mixing up with other waste.
Lucero noted unused fireworks can contaminate other wastes, which can still be decomposed or recycled.
Don’t throw the water directly into canals because it can be hazardous to rivers and seas,” she said. PNA
