It’s the Fourth of July and many residents in Clark County are sure to celebrate by lighting off lots of fireworks long into the night, but Clark County officials have one request: clean up afterwards.
Saying nothing of the paper and plastics that go into fireworks, the metals, nitrates and sulfur that make them burst and light up the sky can easily pollute rivers, streams and creeks and harm fish and other creatures living in the water.
Even if they’re lit in the middle of a neighborhood street, the firework residue can wash into storm drains, which in some areas flow directly into streams.
Clark County officials say the best thing to do is sweep up when you’re done.
The county won’t be providing extra street-sweeping services after the holiday, so it’s up to users to clean it up. Beyond that, not cleaning up your fireworks leftovers is littering, which is against the law.
“All we’re asking is people do the right thing and clean it up,” said Jeff Mize, Clark County Public Works spokesman. “Clean it for the fish, clean it up for your neighbors, clean it up because it’ll make you feel good.”
“There are many steps the public can take to help keep our local waterways clean,” Dean Boening, Clark County Clean Water program manager, said in a news release. “We all have the responsibility to reduce pollution. If you use fireworks, you need to use them safely and responsibly, and that includes cleaning up afterward.”
More information about keeping the community’s waterways clean is available on the county’s website, www.clark.wa.gov/cleanwater.
