MPCB to promote ‘green’ crackers

Mumbai: Ahead of Diwali, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board is promoting “green” crackers, and chec-king the noise levels of firecrackers available in the market. Green crackers are those that cause less pollution, and the central government has tasked the Nati-onal Environmental Engine-ering Research Institute with manufacturing them.

MPCB officials stated that every year, they carry out testing of firecrackers available in the market for harmful elements and heavy metals which cause prolonged emission.

“We check for levels of emission and presence of heavy metals like Alumin-ium, Chlorine and Mercury which come under schedule 1 of the part 2 list of hazardous and toxic chemicals of the Manufacture, Storage and Import of Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989. Citizens should see the contents of the firecrackers available in the market and avoid the ones which have harmful elements,” said a MPCB official.

NEERI has manufactured the green firecrackers in its laboratory to tackle the issue of air pollution. NEERI claims that these crackers cause 30 per cent less emissions and are eco-friendly.

According to NEERI, the green flowerpot crackers have safer elements than barium nitrate. Similarly, sparklers, Lakshmi bombs and ground chakkars are being manufactured with harmless elements, while minimising the use of potassium nitrate, sulphur and aluminium.

The green firecrackers will have a green logo and will be available at cheaper prices in the market.

“The chemicals contained in the firecrackers are released into the air when they burst and particulate matter contained in the smoke emitted is inhaled by the public. It may have a cumulative effect when all the crackers are burst within a single time period, which could expose us to hazardous emissions,” said Sumaira Abdulali, founder, Awaaz Foundation.