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The vast majority of fireworks originate in China, including 99% of recreational fireworks and about 70% of professional ones. In 2019, China contributed $315 million worth of fireworks and accounted for 94% of U.S. fireworks imports. The closest second, Spain, did not even breach the $5 million mark.
Yet this more-than-thousand-year-old invention is becoming harder to come by, and costlier, due to numerous supply chain hiccups.
Among the biggest are the ongoing effects of the pandemic, which hampered or shut down every industry. Additionally, the following factors all play a role: factory lockdowns, transportation delays, staff shortages in the trucking industry, hold-ups at global ports, unfulfilled backlogs, and shortages of everything from materials to containers.
A Labor-intensive Industry
The manual labor to produce fireworks is also in shorter supply. Manufacture requires three main ingredients, saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal, along with various metals that create vibrant colors when they burn. Yet these are supplied through mining operations, and mining companies currently face supply and equipment disruptions.
Shipping costs have also, no pun intended, skyrocketed. In December 2021, those shipping costs were 400% greater than the previous year. Consequently, consumers are suffering price increases of 15-35%. Plus, with 49 states and D.C. allowing consumer fireworks of varying types, it’s no surprise that demand has increased while supply has decreased.
An Interesting Future Ahead
Some seek alternatives to fireworks, such as using drones to create dazzling light shows to wow celebrants for holidays, sporting events, and various jubilees. This eco-minded shift could yield increased material sustainability, as well as a reduction in emissions and the effects of mining operations. And of course, fewer cats, dogs, and other pets hiding or howling after a resounding boom.
The counter-argument is that the environmental consequences of firework shows are “minor and very short-lived.” Indeed, a show isn’t even a blip compared to the massive pollution produced by global industries. So it’s unlikely we’ll ever lose our celebratory fireworks completely.
But we may see the introduction of other techniques. For example, there are the firefly-inspired “biodegradable light sparks” that were recently trialed in Bilbao-Biscay, Spain. Human ingenuity is rarely predictable, though, and we can’t wait to see the further evolution of this ancient technology.
Image Credit: M. Shcherbyna / Shutterstock.com
