Chinese officials are considering banning the traditional firecracker celebration to ring in the Chinese New Year, China's most vital social occasion and cultural holiday.

Xinhua has reported Beijing authorities as saying that the ban preventing citizens from their usual mass-ignition of fireworks will be executed if the city issues red or orange air pollution  cautions in the following days leading up to the Chinese New Year (Jan. 31), connoting extreme levels of air pollution.

Fireworks contain sulphur-coal mixes and lethal chemicals which are viewed as a key benefactor to air pollution and every Lunar New Year sees a spike in PM2.5 particles. Last year, PM2.5 levels increased by over 500 percent accompanying the midnight festivals, leading Chinese authorities to think about banning firecrackers as part of Chinese leaders' exertion against air pollution.

This is bad news for fireworks dealers in Beijing, where sales begin on Jan. 25. Authorites report that 643,000 containers of fireworks are in stock, down from 750,000 containers during last year's celebration. Fireworks were restricted in Beijing for 13 years prior to the lifting of the ban in 2006 for the Lunar New Year, a 15-day celebration period where people visit their families and don't work.

"The government is in a dilemma,'' said a research fellow at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, because authorities want to respect tradition and let people enjoy the Spring Festival while balancing concerns over public safety.

Like many government decisions in China, this one hasn't been very popular either nationally or on Sina Weibo, China's version of Twitter.

''Extreme stupidity,'' someone wrote. ''The government doesn't do a good job of environmental protection with industries. Instead it blames the very small amount of fireworks.''

''There are so much exhaust emissions,'' wrote another netizen, ''You don't manage them and now you won't let the people have one day of delight?''

City authorities say they won't know until right before the start of the Lunar New Year on Friday if fireworks are banned.