No plan for fireworks ban: govt

Despite public support for a temporary ban on Spring Festival fireworks if air pollution levels remain extreme, Beijing environmental authorities have said a ban would be too difficult to implement in the short time before the holiday, which falls on February 9.

Seven news portals and websites, including Sina and Sohu, launched an online discussion Tuesday asking if there should be fewer fireworks in Beijing in light of the recent extremely poor air quality.

By Wednesday evening, more than 3,500 messages have been posted under this topic heading on Sina Weibo and some 1,900 people said they would support a fireworks ban.

In a small survey by the Global Times, 13 out of 20 respondents agreed with a total ban on fireworks during the Spring Festival under any circumstances, but the others were generally in favor of keeping the tradition even though they knew it could harm the environment.

A 31-year-old bank employee, surnamed Wang, said he has not set off fireworks for many years.

"I'm fed up with the smoky air and noisy nights when we are forced to stay awake by fireworks," said Wang.