Science Sherlock: What Are Green Crackers, and Are They Really ‘Green’ and Eco-Friendly?

As problematic as they may be, firecrackers have become an inseparable part of modern-day Diwali celebrations. Nevertheless, in a bid to control their impacts and keep the air comparatively cleaner, many states have imposed complete bans on firecrackers. Some states, however, have allowed the sale and usage of green crackers, which are considered eco-friendlier alternatives due to their ability to cause lesser air pollution than their more toxic counterparts.

But just how ‘green’ are these green crackers? To answer this question, The Weather Channel’s Science Sherlock conducted his own investigation, and here’s what his efforts have unearthed:

For starters, it is important to understand what green crackers actually are. While the concept of a ‘green cracker’ continues to evolve, the directions found in Supreme Court rulings require firecrackers to comply with the following rules to be categorised as ‘green’:

• They should not use barium nitrate or potassium nitrate as oxidisers (components that produce oxygen to help crackers burn).
• They must avoid using ash as a desiccant (a hygroscopic substance used as a drying agent to keep the crackers from getting moist) or filler materials.
• They must not use traditional ingredients like antimony, lithium, mercury, arsenic, lead, barium oxides, and potassium oxides in any form during the manufacturing process.
• They should emit 30-35% less particulate matter as compared to conventional firecrackers.

Following the Supreme Court orders, scientists working with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) have developed a wide range of green crackers—from flower pots to ‘atom bombs’—which cause much lesser air pollution post-combustion. These alternatives belong to three main subcategories, which are as follows:

1. Safe Water Releasers (SWAS): SWAS are a very novel formulation of fireworks that emit water vapour when exploding, and the vapour leads to the suppression and dilution of suspended dust particles. They do not consist of potassium nitrate or sulphur, which consequently prevents the emission of SO2 and NOx, and reduces the ejection of particulate matter by about 30-35%.

3. Safe Minimal Aluminum Crackers (SAFAL): When traditional firecrackers are burned, the aluminium used in them becomes a critical source of pollution. Therefore, researchers have since minimised the usage of aluminium, restricting it just for the initiation of flash powder ignition, and using magnesium for the subsequent sound and light effects. This led to the creation of SAFAL, which emits at least 35-40% less particulate matter compared to the conventional formulation, all the while matching the 110-115 dBA sound created by commercial crackers.

As evident from these three subtypes, green crackers emit at least 30% lesser pollutants than their commercial counterparts, effectively lowering their contribution to air pollution. But make no mistake: the usage of these crackers does cause pollution. This very fact makes their name misleading too—these crackers aren’t completely ‘green’ and environment-friendly; instead, they fall in the ‘grey zone’.

Therefore, Science Sherlock insists that if your aim is to celebrate Diwali without causing any pollution and harming the environment, bursting of crackers—even the green ones, which are essentially the lesser of two evils—must also be completely avoided.

All in all, a complete shift from firecrackers to traditional diyas is the only way to avoid worsening the air quality and reduce risks to people with respiratory disorders.

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