Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department
Environmental Public Health
Fireworks Debris Prevention
July 4th is a time for parades, backyard barbecues and of course, fireworks. With the focus on fun, an important part of the celebration gets left until after the holiday or forgotten altogether. Every year following Independence Day Lincoln and other Lancaster County communities are littered with fireworks debris. This summer Keep Lincoln & Lancaster County Beautiful encourages residents to be responsible community members with one simple request: if you blow it up, clean it up.
For a Clean Community
Preventing litter is essential to a clean, health and safe community. Litter tends to accumulate in places that are already littered, and in littered communities property values go down, crime rates go up and businesses stay away. Local governments spend millions each year keeping communities clean.
For a Healthy Environment
Litter is harmful to the natural environment. Left unattended, it can be washed down storm drains and into streams, rivers and lakes. This makes our natural areas look bad and can harm wildlife. Fireworks in particular are made from several potentially harmful substances, including gunpowder and various metallic compounds. These substances can pollute air, water and soil.
To Be a Good Neighbor
Cleaning up your litter is also part of being a good neighbor. Litter rarely stays in one place and someone else may get stuck cleaning up your mess.
Before the holiday starts, have a plan to safely clean up your fireworks debris. Here’s a few helpful tips:
What We’re Doing: KLLCB is working with community partners to prevent fireworks debris and get it cleaned up after the holiday. This includes distributing educational material reminding residents to clean up, providing resources for Neighborhood Associations to conduct a cleanup after the Holiday and conducting surveys to determine the extent of the fireworks debris problem. In addition, KLLCB is partnering with retail fireworks stands to promote fireworks debris cleanup and making cleanup information available through local media outlets. Volunteers are needed. Contact KLLCB if you are interested in being part of the Fireworks Debris Prevention Program.
Know the law. Click here to view fireworks
regulations for the City of Lincoln.
City of Lincoln