Green Crackers guidelines by UP

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Last Updated30/10/2021

Uttar Pradesh will permit use of green crackers during Diwali celebrations for a duration not more than two hours in areas where air quality is moderate or better.

With an aim to control the increasing air pollution, Green Crackers are being developed. They are eco-friendly and do not comprise components that can be harmful for the environment.

These have been developed by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and an agreement has been signed with around 230 companies for manufacturing and selling these in the market
The green-crackers are expected to cause atleast 30% less air pollution in comparison to the traditional firecrackers
The manufacturing cost of these crackers will almost be the same, or may even cost less than the traditional crackers
To differentiate green crackers from the regular ones, the system of Quick Response (QR) coding has been developed
The main motive of producing green crackers is to control the environmental disbalance
These green crackers have been named based on the three: Safe Water Releaser (SWAS), Safe Thermite Cracker (STAR), and Safe Minimal Aluminium (SAFAL)
Testing for these green crackers have been ongoing for many years, but a bulk of initial testing green crackers was done in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, one of the major hubs for cracker manufacturing industries
Based on the current ecological situation, green crackers in India have become a necessity and all Indian states intend to adapt the selling of these fireworks from the coming years.

Composition of Green Crackers – They do not comprise barium nitrate which is one of the most hazardous elements present in any regular cracker
Composition of Regular Crackers – A traditional firecracker comprises of six key elements:
Fuel: Mainly Charcoal or Thermite are present in them all
Oxidising Agents: Nitrates and Chlorates which produce oxygen inside the cracker
Reducing Agents: Something like sulphur, which can burn the oxygen present in the firecracker
Regulators: To ensure the speed and intensity with which a cracker bursts
Coloring Agents: Multiple colours appear when a cracker bursts, this role is played by the colouring agents. Given below are the elements which provide different colours:
Strontium salts – Red Colour
Burning of metals – White Colour
Sodium salts – Yellow Colour
Barium salts – Green Colour
Calcium Salts – Orange Colour
Copper Salts – Blue Colour
Binders: All the components of the firecracker require a medium which can bind them
Green crackers will thus help in uplifting the quality of air and ensure that minimum hazardous material is released into the atmosphere with its fumes.

It has been observed that every year the quality of air has been declining and what may seem like fog during the winters is actually Smog (smoke+fog). Thus, the introduction of these Green Crackers in India will majorly affect the quality of air in a positive manner.
It must also be noted that over the years many accidents have come up where children and adults have died due to firecracker incidents. With green cracker manufacturing, such accidents may also reduce.
But along with its advantages, one of the biggest disadvantages of Green crackers is that only the manufacturers who have signed a deal with CSIR will be allowed to manufacture these crackers. All the other industries which produce the traditional type of crackers may be left unemployed. No small manufacturing unit will be allowed to produce green crackers.
The components and elements required for creating a green cracker may not be available for everyone which may also be a reason for many manufacturers to opt for this job.
However, 70% of India’s crackers are manufactured in Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, which continues to be the leading supplier of Green Crackers in India.

These green crackers have been given three different names:
SWAS – Safe Water Releaser
They will release water vapour in the air which will suppress the dust released
It will not comprise potassium nitrate and sulphur
A diluent will be released for gaseous emissions
The particulate dust released will reduce by approximately 30 percent
STAR – Safe Thermite Cracker
Does not comprise potassium nitrate and sulphur
Reduced particulate matter disposal
Reduced sound intensity
SAFAL – Safe Minimal Aluminium
Minimum usage of aluminum
Usage of magnesium instead of aluminum
Reduction in sound in comparison to traditional crackers
Thus, considering the tremendous deterioration in the quality of air which declines even more during the winter season in India, taking up strict actions to control Air Pollution had become a major concern.