Ban personal fireworks on Washington beaches? Gee Scott says do it

Nonprofit environmental organization the Surfrider Foundation has dubbed July 5 the “Dirtiest Beach Day of the Year” as tons of trash are left behind from Fourth of July festivities. The aftermath raised the question on “The Gee and Ursula Show,” should personal fireworks on Long Beach or other beaches in Washington be banned?

“Yes,” KIRO host Gee Scott said.

Gee notices fewer plans for fireworks on Long Beach

However, Gee noted he’s observed fewer people visiting Long Beach or Ocean Shores for the Fourth of July.

“Now, everybody’s going east,” he said. “They going to Leavenworth, they going to Chelan, but they don’t go to Ocean Shores like they used to. And when I see pictures of Ocean Shores now, it’s usually a negative picture. It’s usually, ‘Look at all this trash out here.'”

However, KIRO host Ursula Reutin said people are going to both places.

“I was just there yesterday, and the beach was full,” she shared.

Although Ursula believes people who mass litter shouldn’t be allowed to come back.

“In Oregon, you don’t drive on the beach like you do here, or at least when I was living there, I just didn’t see it. There’s a lot more allowed on the beaches here in the state of Washington. And if it sounds like people just being pigs and leaving behind 19 tons of garbage, I say ban them,” she said.

Listen to the full conversation below.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.