The Department of Health’s Clean Air Branch reported low smoke levels during the New Year’s celebration, an ongoing trend since a city ordinance on a partial fireworks ban took effect two years ago.
The Health Department monitored smoke levels at four stations on Oahu: Honolulu, Pearl City, Sand Island and Kapolei. The national standard of particulate matter is 35 micrograms per cubic meter over a 24-hour period.
During the 2014 New Year period, Pearl City had the highest particulate level on Oahu at 16 micrograms per cubic meter. Smoke levels at the three other Oahu stations were below 16 micrograms and stations on the neighbor islands also measured below the national standard, according to a news release by the Health Department.
Smoke from fireworks consists of fine particulate matter that can aggravate respiratory problems like asthma and emphysema.
Health officials said fireworks-related injuries continue to be relatively low since a city ordinance took effect in 2011. Anyone under age 18 is prohibited from handling fireworks, which includes sparklers and fountains.
The law allows people to purchase fireworks with a permit but bars the sale, purchase or use of other consumer fireworks such as sparklers, fountains and "paperless" firecrackers.
The Injury Prevention Program reported 33 injuries treated at emergency rooms statewide from Dec. 31 to Jan. 2, a 17 percent drop from 40 injuries treated in the previous new year.
Injuries in Honolulu dropped by half, from 26 in the previous new year period to 13 this year. Ten injuries were reported in Hawaii County, four in Kauai County and six in Maui County.
Patients ranged from ages 2 to 46 and more than half of the injured were under age 18. A majority of the patients were males. Injuries to fingers, eyes and hands were the most common.
Most patients suffered from burns, according to data by the Injury Prevention Program. Four injuries were described as blasts and at least six patients who were hospitalized were injured by an illegal firework.
