Supreme Court Permits Limited Use of Green Firecrackers in Delhi-NCR

Supreme Court Permits Limited Use of Green Firecrackers in Delhi-NCR

#GS-3 #Science & Technology #Environment #Environmental Pollution & Degradation #Achievements of Indians in Science & Technology #Climate Change #Pollution #National

Key takeaways

  • The Supreme Court permitted the limited use of eco-friendly green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR during Deepavali.
  • Developed by CSIR-NEERI, green firecrackers must cut particulate matter (PM) emissions by at least 30% or cut PM by 20% and gases like SO₂ and NO₂ by 10%.
  • These firecrackers avoid banned barium salts and come in three main types: SWAS, STAR, and SAFAL.
  • Testing is handled by CSIR-NEERI, while final regulatory clearance comes from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO).

Why in News

  • The Supreme Court of India recently allowed the limited use of green firecrackers in the Delhi-NCR region during Deepavali.
  • The court highlighted the lower emission technology of these firecrackers along with their broader environmental impacts.

Overview of Green Firecrackers

  • The CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) in Nagpur developed these specially designed low-emission fireworks to pollute less than traditional ones.

Emission Reduction Standards

  • Green firecrackers must cut particulate matter (PM) emissions by at least 30% compared to traditional firecrackers in the same category.
  • Alternatively, they must achieve at least a 20% cut in PM emissions along with a 10% reduction in gaseous emissions such as sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).

Emission-Control Mechanism

  • These fireworks use modified fuel-oxidiser blends, dust-suppressing chemicals, and smaller amounts of metals to boost burning efficiency and lower pollution.
  • Their formulas completely exclude banned barium salts while using reduced or alternative raw materials.

Types of Green Firecrackers

  • SWAS (Safe Water Releaser) releases water vapor during burning to trap and suppress dust and smoke particles.
  • STAR (Safe Thermite Cracker) uses a thermite mix to improve burning quality and reduce smoke emissions.
  • SAFAL (Safe Minimal Aluminium) replaces excess metal content with lower amounts of aluminium to keep emissions low.

Certification and Regulatory Approval

  • CSIR-NEERI conducts tests to verify emission reductions, while the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) grants final market approval.

Residual Pollution and Health Risks

  • Even with lower pollution levels, green firecrackers still release tiny particulate matter and harmful gases that create risks for heart and lungs.

Noise and Air Quality Impact

  • Green firecrackers still make loud noise, and their actual impact on local air quality depends heavily on weather conditions, existing pollution, and total crackers burst.