Cimatu urges environment-friendly New Year celebration

Sec. Cimatu said culture change is necessary to improve and protect the environment. #nofirecrackers #newyearcelebration

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Roy A. Cimatu on Sunday appealed to Filipinos to help build a fresh tradition of welcoming the New Year without the pollution and danger from firecrackers and fireworks.

“I believe that every single one of us can contribute to fighting air pollution by simply not using firecrackers and pyrotechnics that can cause immediate and extensive air pollution,” Cimatu said.

“Let the culture change we seek to create in the Boracay and Manila Bay rehabilitations likewise give birth to a New Year celebration that is safe and environment-friendly,” he added.

Cimatu’s call for a fresh tradition in welcoming the New Year was consistent with his belief that culture change is necessary to improve and protect the environment. He earlier recognized that changing people’s attitudes and behavior towards the environment was the most difficult part of rehabilitating Manila Bay.

Cimatu suggested some good alternatives to usher in the New Year with a bang, such as street parties, musical concerts, playing loud music, blowing horns and banging pots.

According to the DENR chief, the New Year‘s Eve celebration represents one of the most unusual atmospheric pollution events in the course of the year due to the massive use of firecrackers and fireworks.

Aside from causing fire accidents, pyrotechnics and firecrackers contain harmful chemicals like lead, aluminum, and cadmium, and leave metal particles, dangerous toxins and smoke in the air for hours or days.

Exposure to these is linked to negative health implications, such as coughing, wheezing, asthma attacks, and even heart attacks, according to the Department of Health.

Records from the Bureau of Fire Protection showed that 14 fire incidents nationwide were reported on the evening of 31 December last year to 1 January 2019.

Cimatu reiterated that the majority of the fire incidents happened in residential areas and were caused by pyrotechnics and firecrackers.