In a bid to resolve the crisis of air pollution, the Central Governnment on October 5, 2019 launched green firecrackers.
Union Minister for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences and Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Harsh Vardhan announced in a Press Conference in New Delhi, that Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) labs have been successful in developing various environment-friendly fireworks such as sound emitting crackers, flowerpots, pencils, chakkar and sparklers. He further pointed out that these fireworks, based on new formulations developed by CSIR, have been manufactured and are available in the Indian market for consumers and sellers.
To develop reduced emission/green fireworks, eight labs participated,CSIR–NEERI, CEERI, IITR, IICT, NCL, CECRI, NBRI and CMERI, with CSIR NEERI coordinating the entire exercise. Firstly, for immediate improvement CSIR-NEERI developed improvements in conventional formulations based on Barium Nitrate to meet the stipulated norms of green crackers.
The implementation of these formulations is subject to approval of Supreme Court of India.
CSIR-NEERI has also developed new formulations for reduced emission light and sound emitting crackers with 30% reduction in particulate matter.
Emissions testing facilities
The emissions testing facilities for the new fire crackers have been set up at CSIR-NEERI as well as their approved National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration (NABL) facilities whose list is available at CSIR NEERI website.
Raw Materials Compositional Analysis (RACE) facility
A Raw Materials Compositional Analysis (RACE) facility has been launched in Sivakasi to facilitate manufacturers for testing their raw materials and chemicals.
About 530 emissions testing certificates have been issued to fireworks manufactures for new and improved formulations meeting the stipulated guidelines of green crackers.
Quick Response (QR) coding system
A green logo as well as a Quick Response (QR) coding system has been developed for differentiation of green crackers from conventional crackers. QR codes is a novel feature incorporated on the fire crackers to avoid manufacture and sale of counterfeit products.
This will also help the consumers to track the cracker using smart phones and other devices. Dr Harsh Vardhan also indicated that the cost of the green crackers is almost same as that of regular crackers.
