VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board (APPCB) Chairman Dr P Krishnaiah has appealed to the public to celebrate the Diwali festival with ‘green crackers’ avoiding noise and air pollution.
In a press release on Saturday, Krishnaiah urged the firecracker manufacturers and sellers to manufacture and sell eco-friendly crackers, and requested public cooperation to make the festival celebration free from air pollution and safe. The APPCB has already issued a circular to all district collectors, district police superintendents, and other departments concerned regarding the sale and usage of crackers, he stated.
The conventional firecrackers will release large quantities of fine particulate matter (PM), sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, which are invisible to the naked eye, but cause serious air pollution. Some types of crackers also contain barium, lithium, and arsenic, which emit highly polluting substances. To reduce environmental damage, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) have developed a special formula for low-emission firecrackers, which are known as Green Crackers.
In ordinary firecrackers, chemicals like aluminium, sulphur, and potassium nitrate are used in large quantities. However, in green crackers, these compounds are used in minimal proportions, which significantly reduces pollution. These eco-friendly crackers will produce less smoke, noise, and toxic gases compared to regular ones. All such crackers are certified by CSIR-NEERI before being released for sale.
“Manufacturers are required to print a green logo and a QR code on the packaging of certified green crackers. The “Green Fireworks” logo indicates that the product has been licensed by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO). By scanning the QR code printed on the box, buyers can verify whether the crackers are green,” he said.
