Police officers have confiscated more than 120 tonnes of pyrotechnic articles worth almost 5.5 million lei this season.

They also opened 650 criminal cases and fined more than 660.000 lei.

Doctors warn that when using firecrackers the risk of injury is very high, especially among children.

Every year, children and adults arrive at the emergency rooms with everything from burns to mutilations, explains Alis Grasu, manager of the Bucharest-Ilfov Ambulance Service.

Alis Grasu: In principle, if they could not be used especially by children, it would be ideal, and the older people who use them should do so with great care and avoid those that are very large capacity, they are spectacular, but the larger the firecracker in terms of incandescent capacity, the greater the risk. It can explode in their face, cause eyeball damage, damage to the skin. Burns to the limbs and even serious traumatic injuries have been common following the explosion of these high-capacity firecrackers. They are very dangerous.

Pets are also traumatised by fireworks and firecrackers, that's why hundreds of animals get lost or even die every year during the holidays. There are also environmental risks, according to experts in measuring air quality.

On New Year's Eve, pollution levels have increased almost every year due to fireworks and firecrackers.

Translated by Radu Matei

SOURCE: Radio România Actualități