Cleaner, greener Diwali this year as govt rolls out eco-friendly firecrackers in market

Just ahead of Diwali, Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan announced that the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) labs have been successful in developing several environment-friendly firecrackers including flowerpots, pencils, sparklers and chakkar. He also launched the eco-friendly firecrackers and said that they are now available in markets for sellers and consumers.  

"I am very happy that on one hand, we would be using eco-friendly crackers this Deepawali, and, on the other hand, our traditional festival celebrations with lights and firecrackers shall remain intact. Millions of homes which are dependent on the sale and manufacture of fireworks will also rejoince this festival, thanks to our scientists!" he said as mentioned in a report in The Economic Times.

The minister also informed that a green logo as well as a Quick Response (QR) coding system have been developed so that buyers can differentiate between a green cracker from a polluting one. The firecrackers have been manufactured by licensee-manufacturers.

Dr Harsh Vardhan said that the industry that was on the brink of closing down has been rescued by science. Along with the industry, millions of jobs have also been saved. He added that around 165 fireworks manufacturers have been roped in for this endeavour and another 65 are in the process of coming on board.

The minister stated that emissions testing facilities have been set up at CSIR-NEERI and a raw materials analysis facility has been launched in Sivakasi.  Around 530 emissions testing certificates have been issued to fireworks manufacturers for new and improved formulations that meet the mandated guidelines of green crackers, he said.

Dr Harsh Vardhan said that a clear definition of green crackers has also been articulated with a view to educate regulators and public on ways to differentiate green crackers from conventional crackers. 

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