PRIOR TO THIS YEAR'S SPRING FESTIVAL, many media outlets and scholars called for a total ban on fireworks because of the air pollution they cause. A comment on ifeng.com said:

Fireworks are one of the biggest headaches in modern cities during Spring Festival. They not only cause noise pollution, but also air pollution. Data show that the density of PM2.5 reached a peak during Chinese New Year's Eve in Beijing, which is also usually the peak time for setting off fireworks.

Worse, fireworks cause injuries. Every year during the Spring Festival holiday, hospitals receive patients who have been injured by fireworks. This year, Tongren Hospital even arranged a special team of experts to be on duty, ready to treat anybody who suffered an eye injury.