Knowledge nugget of the day: Green firecrackers

Green crackers reduce emissions

substantially and absorb dust and don’t contain hazardous elements like barium nitrate.
(Express/Praveen Khanna)

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Knowledge Nugget: Green Firecrackers

Subject: Environment

(Relevance: UPSC has frequently asked questions on environmental pollution, making it essential
to understand green firecrackers and how they differ from traditional firecrackers.)

Why in the news?

In 2023, the Supreme Court clarified that its order banning the use of barium and banned
chemicals in firecrackers are applicable not just to the National Capital Region but to the entire
country. The Delhi government has also ordered a complete ban on firecrackers until January 1,
2025.

Key Takeaways:

1. “Green crackers” are so named because they “do not contain harmful chemicals” that would
cause air pollution. Components in firecrackers are replaced with others that are “less dangerous”
and “less harmful” to the atmosphere. The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CISR) has
developed ‘green firecrackers’ to address this issue and combat pollution.

2. Both green crackers and traditional crackers cause pollution. However, the only difference is that
green crackers cause 30 per cent less air pollution as compared to traditional ones. Green crackers

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reduce emissions substantially and absorb dust and don’t contain hazardous elements like barium
nitrate. Toxic metals in traditional crackers are replaced with less hazardous compounds.

3. According to the CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute, green

crackers must have a reduction in the size of the shell, elimination of ash usage, reduced usage of
raw materials in the composition, and/or use of additives as dust suppressants to reduce
particulate matter, SO2, and NO2 emissions.

Harmful impact of conventional crackers

Lead in crackers impacts the nervous system while copper triggers respiratory tract irritation,
sodium causes skin issues and magnesium leads to mental fume fever.

Cadmium not just causes anemia but also damages the kidney while nitrate is the most harmful
that causes mental impairment. The presence of nitrite causes irritation in mucous membrane,
eyes, and skin.

4. These ‘green firecrackers’ have types like SWAS (safe water releaser), SAFAL (safe
minimal aluminium), and STAR (safe thermite cracker).

5. SWAS is a safe water releaser, which suppresses the dust released by releasing water vapour in
the air. It does not comprise potassium nitrate and sulphur and the particulate dust released will
reduce approximately by 30 per cent.

6. SAFAL is safe minimal aluminium which has minimum usage of aluminium, and used
magnesium instead. It ensures a reduction in sound in comparison to traditional crackers.

7. STAR is a safe thermite cracker, which does not comprise potassium nitrate and sulphur, and
emits reduced particulate matter disposal and reduced sound intensity.

BEYOND THE NUGGET: Impact of ban on firecrackers

1. According to a study, titled ‘Are Delhi residents exposed to lesser particle number concentration
due to the firework ban in the city?’, published in the journal, Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health, by
researchers from the Delhi Technological University (DTU), a firecracker ban can reduce up
to 20-22% of certain nanoparticle emissions.

2. It analysed air quality before and after the banning of firecrackers during the Diwali celebrations
of 2021 and 2022 in the national capital.

3. The inhalable nanoparticle concentration during the 2021 Diwali day was about 9.73 million
nanoparticles. On the Diwali day in 2022, it was around 8.12 million nanoparticles. The total
inhalable particle exposure on Diwali day decreased by approximately 1.6 million nanoparticles,
around an 18% reduction from the previous year.

4. The nanoparticle pollutants, which are particularly hazardous for children and older adults, can
penetrate through the skin and blood vessels due to their smaller size. The major health impacts of

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exposure to these are stroke, hypertension, and myocardial infarction, the study noted.

5. Also, a study conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found that the overall
contribution of local sources, especially the transport sector, is responsible for the worsening air
quality pre-Diwali in the national capital.

6. CSE found a strong correlation between vehicles, hourly changes in NOx levels, and city
congestion when it analysed hourly travel time data from 25 Delhi roads between September 15
and October 29 using Google Maps API. The highest congestion was observed on the weekend
before Diwali (October 27).

Conventional crackers
Colour Compounds
White colour Aluminium, Magnesium, and Titanium
Yellow Colour Sodium compounds
Blue Colour Copper compounds
Red Colour Strontium carbonates
Green Colour Barium monochloride salts or Barium nitrate or Barium chlorate

(Source: What are green crackers?, Explained: What are green crackers & how do we identify
them?, Firecracker ban can reduce nanoparticle emissions by around 22%: Study, Pune: ‘Green’
firecrackers widely available, doctors contest usefulness)

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