WASHINGTON, United States (AFP)—An “unforgettable” tribute to America, or a health hazard that will terrorise animals and pollute the environment?

That’s the question as Washington prepares to break the record for the world’s largest fireworks display on the United States’ 250th birthday on Saturday.

The Trump administration’s “Freedom250” project has hired Pennsylvania-based Pyrotecnico to launch more than 850,000 fireworks shells across 10 sites around the Lincoln Memorial and Potomac River, starting at 10:30 pm and lasting 40 minutes.