Firecrackers are commonly used in celebration of holidays or festivals, such as Shab-e-Barat In Pakistan, Halloween, Independence Day in the United States of America, Diwali in India, Hari Raya in Malaysia, and especially the celebration of Chinese New Year by Chinese communities around the world and Spanish Fallas. Firecrackers are also used by the Vietnamese during their Tết festival especially at midnight Giao Thừa (New Year's Eve).
Illegal firecrackers:
Firecrackers, as well as other types of explosives, in United States are subject to various laws, depending on location. Firecrackers themselves are not considered illegal contraband material. It is the sale, possession, and use of firecrackers that are subject to laws. Some states or local governments require a permit to legally sell, possess, or use firecrackers; sometimes with different permits for different actions, e.g., a permit required to sell, with a separate permit required to use.
Prior to December 6, 1976, the legal limit in the United States for firecrackers was a maximum of 2 grains of blackpowder (130 mg); after this date, the legal limit in the United States was reduced to 50 mg (0.77 grains) of flash powder.
Virtually all firecrackers are scientifically classed as "low explosives" which burn through deflagration, as opposed to "high explosives" such as dynamite and ANFO which actually produce a supersonic detonation wave. Some legal definitions nevertheless define banned firecrackers (such as the M-80 in the United States) as "Class B Explosives" which requires their storage in an explosives magazine and an ATF high explosives license for their manufacture.[2]
The legal status of firecrackers typically stems from their notable effect on noise pollution as well as the issue of their safety, especially when used by children. Devices which are designed to explode at ground level are seen as more dangerous than those with a prolonged burn time and/or an aerial explosion. Proponents of firecracker sales sometimes question the consistency of these laws, pointing out that legal fireworks can also be dangerous due to the risk of high-temperature burns (as in the case of sparklers), and that projectile fireworks intended for aerial use can often legally incorporate a noise making explosive device as a last stage.
In Malaysia, playing with firecrackers is now illegal as stated from Malaysian Explosive Act which was revised in 1991 as a result of the increasing injuries among children (especiallyMalay) during Hari Raya festive season. Ironically, the injury cases caused by playing firecrackers continue to increase every year since Malay children turned to home-made firecrackers such as bamboo cannons as alternatives to commercial fireworks.
In the Republic of Ireland, firecrackers (commonly called "bangers") are illegal, but they are easily smuggled across the border with Northern Ireland in the weeks leading up to Hallowe'en.
In Sweden, firecrackers became completely illegal December 1st, 2000.
In Singapore, a partial ban on firecrackers was imposed in March 1970 after a fire killed six people and injured 68.[3] This was extended to a total ban in August 1972, after an explosion that killed two people[4] and an attack on two police officers attempting to stop a group from letting off firecrackers in February 1972.[5] However, in 2003, the government allowed firecrackers to be set off during the festive season. At the Chinese New Year light-up in Chinatown, at the stroke of midnight on the first day of the Lunar New Year, firecrackers are set off under controlled conditions by the Singapore Tourism Board. Other occasions where firecrackers are allowed to be set off are determined by the tourism board or other government organizations. However, they are not allowed to be commercially sold.
Some firecrackers are legal but restrictions are in place regarding the amount of powder they contain. Some examples are: Wolf Pack FireCrackers, Black Cat FireCrackers, China Town FireCrackers, Hydro FireCrackers, and the Wolf Pack Cannon Ball FireCrackers.
No comments:
Post a Comment