Though the Supreme Court of India gave permission to burst only green crackers during Diwali this year, the awareness about green firecrackers among retailers and buyers is very low is which is leading to sale of spurious ‘green firecrackers’ in markets. This year, Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) gave record breaking 888 permissions for stalls. When ‘The Hitavada’ visited markets and enquired about green firecrackers, very limited retailers have details about such firecrackers. Similarly, the awareness among citizens is also less. The green firecrackers are developed by CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI), Nagpur and such firecrackers are supposed to have certification of CSIR-NEERI and Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) and a QR (quick response) code.

 

The lack of awareness among retailers and customers, helping spurious products with a fake stamp of CSIR-NEERI on boxes. However, several boxes have the logo of CSIR-NEERI but no certification from the PESO, no registration number and no QR Code on them. Similarly, many boxes have the QR Code of CSIR-NEERI but most of the QR codes are not working. With the CSIR-NEERI’s stamp of approval, the crackers are mandated to be affixed with QR code that customers can scan and obtain information about the firecrackers’ emissions and composition. CSIR-NEERI signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with hundreds of manufacturers for making ‘green’ firecrackers. ‘Green’ firecrackers have a small shell size as compared to regular ones.

 

The regular firecrackers are made up of chemicals such as potassium nitrate, barium nitrate, aluminium powder, sulphur and charcoal. Whereas, a scientists from CSIR-NEERI reformulated these mixtures by reducing toxic metals and adding materials the suppress dust. Compounds like zeolite and iron oxide are used to capture soot and help reduce emissions. In emission tests, such formulations achieved 30-40 per cent lower particulate matter and gas emissions which makes it ‘green’ option of conventional one.