I “New Year’s Eve bangs”, in addition to causing victims and injuries and scaring domestic animals, they pollute the environment: despite being a difficult tradition to eradicate, in fact, i firecrackers hey fireworks have a notable impact – even if only for a few hours – on air quality that we breathe and, in particular, on the concentration of fine particles (PM10 and PM2.5). As the name itself suggests, le PM10 are particles with a diameter less than 10 micrometers, while the PM2.5 they have a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometres, about 30 times smaller than a hair. So let’s see the results of the findings World’s Air Pollution, which measures air quality in real time, for the cities of Milan, Rome and Naples.
Concentrations of fine dust in Milan
One of the detection stations of Milanlocated in via Cardinale Branda Castiglioni, detected concentrations of PM 2.5 equal to 256.65 μg/m3with an air quality rating of 306. The concentrations of PM10 instead they reached a peak of 535.88 μg/m3, equivalent to a score of 431.
To get an idea, according to Italian legislation the concentrations of PM2.5 should not exceed the annual average of 25 μg/m3, while for the PM10 the daily average of 50 μg/m3 (for a maximum of 35 days in a calendar year).
As regards the indices (Air Quality IndexAQI), a score above 300 indicates a serious health hazard, with the population recommended to remain inside buildings with windows closed. It must be said that the risks become real with much more prolonged exposure (i.e. for several consecutive days), but the drastic increase in particulate concentrations in the hours following the “midnight blasts” is undeniable. Particulate matter which then, once the peak presence in the air is over, settles on land and water.
As also visible in the graph above, the Lombardy capital has maintained high concentrations of pollutants in the air, finding itself in one of the most polluted areas in Europe.
Concentrations of fine dust in Rome
The station Rome located in Via Clelia has registered a concentration of in the city PM2.5 equal to 96.3 μg/m3 to 2 a.m. on January 1, equivalent to an air quality score of 172. The Capital, in the comparison between the three cities, was found to be the one with the lowest concentration of fine particles due to fireworks, with the PM10 who have reached the 159.38 μg/m3 and an air quality index equal to 102.
From the graph above you can see how the air quality, which has been classified asunhealthy” in the early hours of 2026, soon returned to normal values.
Concentrations of fine dust in Naples
With regard to Naplesthe city has the sad record for increased pollution following fireworks: despite the official data of concentrations in μg/m3 have not yet been released at the time we publish this article, at 01:00 on 1 January 2026 the air quality index by PM2.5 concentration reached the peak of 863 points. According to the detector positioned near the National Museum of the Campania capital, the particles of PM10 instead they brought the air quality score to 970.
The air quality in the Neapolitan city has therefore undergone a drastic worsening, as confirmed by the graph below: between the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026, the New Year’s Eve explosions have effectively made theunbreathable air.
We reiterate that these peaks in concentrations of pollutants had a short duration, with the air quality having settled back to normal values within a few hours, as the graphs also show us. THE’exposure for those who were outdoors during those hours it was therefore limited. This does not mean that the impact of the “New Year’s Eve explosions” on air quality, even if temporary, is clearly visible and far from negligible.
