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Crackers under ‘green guise’: Fake logos spark confusion
Many available in Lucknow markets narrate a different story – some have ‘green crackers’ mentioned in bold letters on the packet, but they neither carry the CSIR-NEERI logo nor any QR code on the label
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LUCKNOW Many firecrackers are not as green as their boxes suggest. Those available in the market narrate a different story – some have ‘green crackers’ mentioned in bold letters on the packet, but they neither carry the CSIR-NEERI logo nor any QR code on the label. A few others, manufactured by prominent brands, only have a ‘gimmicky QR code’, which opens to either a website that does not carry any information or just images that do not open to any link. Even shopkeepers selling these are not informed about which ones are better for the environment and vice-versa, according to a reality check by Hindustan Times.
Green crackers are those considered better for the environment than conventional ones, as they emit less smoke and sound. These can be identified with a green logo of CSIR-NEERI and a QR code on the packet, which should ideally lead to the CSIR-NEERI licence granted to the company for making green crackers.
Green firecrackers are designed to emit fewer pollutants than conventional ones. The CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) defines them as fireworks made with smaller shells, reduced quantities of raw materials and ash, with uniformly acceptable quality and additives that act as dust suppressants to lower emissions.
Compared to traditional crackers, they achieve at least a 30% reduction in particulate matter (PM) or a 20% reduction in PM along with 10% fewer gaseous pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂).
The reality check also found that a few QR codes also directed to certain youtube videos of how the firecracker looks when burnt. Some QR codes printed on the labels were found to be deactivated or which directed to the contact number of the manufacturer. Some cracker manufacturing companies also printed fake NEERI labels, mimicking green crackers, to mislead buyers.
Team HT found that some brands with fake QR codes, claiming to be green crackers, were being sold for at least 35-40% more price than the other companies providing proper ‘green cracker’ certification through QR codes.
Even vendors selling these in various markets had different opinions about the definition of green crackers. Satish Kumar Gautam, one of the sellers, said those with CSIR-NEERI marks are green crackers. When asked about the QR codes, he said, “I have no idea about QR codes, but all I know is the crackers with green CSIR-NEERI logo are green crackers,” he said.
Rajkumar Nishad, who had been running makeshift cracker stalls for over 55 years, said: “In reality, there is no such thing as green crackers,” he said.
“Green crackers emit less smoke and sound. None of the ones on sale now emit as much sound as crackers manufactured 20-30 years back...so all are green crackers,” said Rinku Rathore, another seller.
