Fireworks Cleanup and Safety

As we approach Independence Day and its fiery celebrations, remember to prepare for your celebrations and the cleanup that follows.

If you blow it up clean it up. Protect our water. Prevent Litter. Clean up firework debris.

Fireworks and fireworks packaging are not recyclable, nor can they just be thrown away. They contain materials dangerous to people and the environment. Leaving fireworks outside and not picking them up can lead to those dangerous materials seeping into streams or rivers. Those materials have the potential to pollute the local water supply, downgrade water quality, and harm aquatic life. Even if you do throw the fireworks away but forget to soak them in water, they could reignite later on, either in a garbage truck or at the landfill.

Melted trash can from an inappropriately disposed firework Melted trash can from an inappropriately disposed firework

Inappropriate disposal of fireworks can start fires in refuse trucks. Soak them before throwing them in your trash.

Inappropriately disposed of fireworks can start fires in refuse trucks. Soak them before throwing them in your trash.

Be sure to properly light, enjoy, and dispose of fireworks and fireworks packaging.

Fireworks cleanup

Before you even get the fireworks out, follow these five easy steps.

  1. Set up a broom, bucket of water, and garbage can near your viewing area.
  2. After discharging a firework, wait 10 minutes for it to cool before sweeping it and the surrounding debris up.
  3. Submerge the remains of the fireworks into the bucket of water for 15 minutes.
  4. Put the soaked fireworks in a bag and throw them away into a garbage can.
  5. Dump the remaining water in the bucket into your toilet.

Submerge the remains of the fireworks into the bucket of water for 15 minutes.

These instructions may seem menial, but they all contribute towards our goal of keeping Lincoln clean. Keep America Beautiful recently conducted a survey and found out that if everyone went outside and picked up as little as 152 pieces of litter, we could solve America’s litter problem.

“This Fourth of July, Lincolnites have the opportunity to prevent litter by cleaning up their firework debris,” said Environmental Health Educator Sarah Mason. “Prevention is the best tool we have when it comes to litter.”

Clean up your fireworks debris