Soon, new generation of plant-­based ‘green crackers’ for less-polluting Diwali

The ‘green crackers’ would be equally colourful as the traditional fireworks. When tested in the laboratory, these plant-based fireworks have proved to be 50-60% less polluting than traditional fireworks.

After developing a range of ‘green crackers’ by simply changing their chemical balance, Indian scientists have inched closer towards making another range of fireworks which would be based on plant-based products and alternative chemicals to further bring down post-Diwali pollution.

Though Indian scientists are working on a range of fireworks based on plant-based produts, these ‘green crackers’, however, won’t be available this Diwali . (Representational Photo)(Keshav Singh/HT File Photo)

The breakthrough started at the National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) in Lucknow, a centrally-run science laboratory under the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research.

“We have already developed three plant-based products with which we can make fireworks and crackers. They would be equally colourful as the traditional fireworks. When tested in the laboratory, these plant-based fireworks have proved to be 50-60% less polluting than traditional fireworks,” NBRI director SK Barik said.

None of these ‘green crackers’ would, however, be available this Diwali as manufacturers are yet to get the mandatory license from the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO).

The Hindustan Times had earlier reported that some of the country’s premier science laboratories, under the CSIR, are ready with functional prototypes of a range of crackers and fireworks that promise up to 40% reduction in emission.

“While scientists from Tamil Nadu-based Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI) have developed ‘flower pots’ that can bring down levels of particulate matter by around 40%, another team from Nagpur-based National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has developed sound-emitting crackers such as ‘bijli’ that emits 30-35% less particulate matter and almost-zero sulphur dioxde,” said Rakesh Kumar director of NEERI.

Union environment minister Harsh Vardhan said on Monday that Indian scientists have been working to create an entire range of fireworks over the past year to bring down pollution during Diwali without disrupting the ₹6,000-crore industry that supports around five lakh families.

“While some labs like NEERI and CECRI were working on short-term goals, others like the National Chemical Laboratory and the Indian Institute of Chemical Technology were working on long-term goals in which new range of crackers and fireworks based on alternative plant-based products and alternative chemicals such as benzoate,” he added.

He said that for the first time in India an emission testing facility has been established at CSIR-NEERI and testing is in progress for both conventional and green crackers for monitoring emissions and sound.