Green Crackers: A Misguided Solution to India's Pollution Problem

The Supreme Court's allowance of green firecrackers in the Delhi-National Capital Region on Diwali may seem like a concession to collective sentiment, but it poses significant risks to public health. India's air quality, particularly in North and East India, has already slipped to the 'poor' category, and the bursting of green firecrackers will hardly make a meaningful difference. Experts have argued that green crackers are anything but 'green', emitting toxic gases and heavy metals.

Key Takeaways:

• Green crackers release toxic gases and heavy metals, making them anything but 'green'.
• Data from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute showed that green crackers emit only 30% less particulate matter than conventional ones, resulting in only a 10% reduction in gaseous emissions.
• This means that green firecrackers emit 70% of the pollutants that normal firecrackers do, making a negligible difference to cities choking on smog.
• The certification process of green crackers remains patchy, with India's firecracker industry lacking a transparent batch-tracking system to distinguish green crackers from conventional ones.
• The regulatory mechanism to uphold the ban on offending firecrackers appears to be leaky, with reports of banned crackers being sold in the open.
• The public health costs of air pollution in North India, including firecrackers and stubble burning, adds Rs 1,000-1,500 crore annually to the public exchequer.
• The rise in air pollution in Delhi, including on Diwali night, spikes PM2.5 levels to 800-1,500% above safety limits.
• Green crackers are a misguided solution to India's pollution problem, and a spirited public campaign against polluting firecrackers, combined with administrative steps to curb transgressions, is the need of the hour.

Statistics:

• India's air quality in North and East India has slipped to the 'poor' category even before Diwali this year.
• The public health costs of air pollution in North India, including firecrackers and stubble burning, add Rs 1,000-1,500 crore annually to the public exchequer.
• The rise in air pollution in Delhi, including on Diwali night, spikes PM2.5 levels to 800-1,500% above safety limits.
• Green crackers emit only 30% less particulate matter than conventional ones, resulting in only a 10% reduction in gaseous emissions.

Sources:

• The Indian Express: "Supreme Court allows sale, bursting of green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR on Diwali"
• ABP News: "Green crackers: A misfit solution to India's pollution problem"
• Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute: "Green crackers: A review of their environmental impact"
• The Economic Times: "Air pollution costs India Rs 1,000-1,500 crore annually, says study"