Fireworks planned for President Donald Trump’s July Fourth celebration on the National Mall are expected to cause hazardous air pollution around the Mall and ‘very unhealthy’ conditions across central Washington, D.C., according to internal National Park Service documents reviewed by The Washington Post.

Air Pollution Concerns

George Thurston, a professor of medicine and population health at New York University, told the Post that people attending or living near the display should reduce their exposure to the smoke. ‘People should use the precautionary principle, which is to minimize exposures,’ Thurston said. ‘An N95 mask would be a good idea.’

The fireworks show is part of the Salute of America 250 Celebration & Fireworks, which the official Freedom 250 event page says will feature 850,000 shells launched from 10 sites, including the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, eight Potomac River barges and West Potomac Park.

The internal modeling reviewed by the Post projected that, in the most likely scenario, the show would generate between 600 and 1,200 micrograms of PM2.5 per cubic meter around the Mall. A worst-case scenario would exceed 2,000 micrograms per cubic meter, according to the report.

PM2.5 refers to fine inhalable particles that are 2.5 micrometers or smaller, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA says those particles can get deep into the lungs and some may enter the bloodstream, posing the greatest health risk among particulate matter categories.

Health Risks

The Post reported that downtown Washington, Arlington and Capitol Hill were projected to see ‘very unhealthy’ conditions, with elevated pollution levels lingering for three to six hours after the fireworks show. Another Park Service document recommended N95 masks outdoors and staying inside as much as possible during and after the display, according to the report.

Thurston told The Post that respiratory and cardiovascular problems, including asthma, are more prevalent among lower-income and minority populations. ‘I definitely think that should not be ignored,’ he said.

Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.