Test shows heavy metal and metal oxides in firecrackers

Mumbai: Upon testing firecrackers available in city markets, they were found to contain harmful chemicals listed in schedule one part two “list of hazardous and toxic chemicals” of the “manufacture, storage and import of hazardous chemicals rules 1989” of the ministry of environment, forests and climate change. The report indicated that none of the tested firecrackers were “green’’ and might prove unsafe for human health.

Awaaz Foundation, the NGO that carried out tests of the chemical contents of firecrackers, wrote to the CM saying, “The effect of these would be cumulative of all crackers burst during a single time period and would be inhaled by all of us as part of the air pollution we are exposed to, including quantities of lead, chlorine and sulphur.”

“Recently, a Supreme Court order has reiterated that air pollution during Diwali, when numerous firecrackers are burst, is at an unsafe level dangerous to human health. The SC has restricted the permissible use of firecrackers to a narrow time window and to ‘green’ crackers only. For several years, MPCB has carried out testing of the chemical content of firecrackers, which results have never been made public,” said Sumaira Abdulali, founder, Awaaz Foundation.

The NGO tested 36 crackers in a private laboratory and analysed the chemical composition with entries listed in schedule one part two “list of hazardous and toxic chemcials of the ‘manufacture, storage and import of hazardous chemicals rules 1989”. Out of these 36 crackers, most had heavy metals and metal oxides like sulphur trioxide, phosphorus pentoxide, copper and lead.  While sulphur trioxide is harmful for plants, animals and water sources, lead may be dangerous for children and may affect the nervous system, while Copper may cause irritation in the respiratory system.