Our Readers Write

I am writing with a huge concern on fireworks and how they should be banished from private use.

Without a doubt they are not only annoying and unsafe and useless, but they are unnecessary to support religious or mundane celebrations.

There are a thousand ways to light up a dark sky to symbolize light over darkness, they don't have to be noisy and polluting and dangerous.

I am totally beside myself as I was unable to get a good night sleep for two nights in a row in Inglewood (of all places) due to noise until the wee hours of the morning of Monday, October 20, and Tuesday, October 21 – weekday nights.

Many countries have banned fireworks for legitimate reasons – injury, damage and nuisance.

Fireworks in the Netherlands are known to cause various negative effects to users, bystanders and people living nearby, especially around New Year's Eve, when extra police, firefighters and paramedics are deployed to control the situation.

There's also toxic exhaust generated by a display of colored element and its smoke.

Traditional fireworks are wrapped tightly with metals like copper and lithium, which create the blue and red colors we see in the sky. But when they explode, metallic compounds released into the environment can be carcinogenic or toxic to both humans and animals.

Meanwhile, smoke generates particulate matter, which O'Sullivan said can affect air quality and make breathing more difficult for people with asthma or other respiratory and cardiovascular conditions.

There are no valid reasons to sustain this invasive celebratory practice in our world.

I speak on behalf of my neighbors, colleagues at work in general

Julie Marzoli

Caledon