👉WHAT ARE GREEN CRACKERS? 🤔🤔

🎆🎇GREEN CRACKERS✨✨

✏️What are green crackers?

👉green crackers are firecrackers that have “less dangerous” and “less harmful” chemicals than conventional ones. Vardhan also said that a green logo as well as a Quick Response (QR) coding system have been developed for differentiating green crackers from conventional ones.

👉In October 2018, the Supreme Court allowed bursting of low-emission crackers relaxing the 'complete ban' issued in 2017. Such 'green' crackers were researched and developed by scientists at CSIR-NEERI as per the court's directions. 

👉'Green' crackers have a small shell size compared to traditional crackers. They are produced using less harmful raw materials and have additives WHICH reduce emissions by suppressing dust. 

👉Currently, the fireworks industry in India is pegged at ₹1,800 crore per annum. CSIR has signed agreements with 230 companies to manufacture the crackers and make them available for sale.

👉Green crackers don't contain banned chemicals such as lithium, arsenic, barium and lead. They are called Safe Water Releaser (SWAS), Safe Thermite Cracker (STAR) and Safe Minimal Aluminium (SAFAL) crackers.

👉Green crackers release water vapour and don't allow the dust particles to rise They are designed to have 30% less particulate matter pollution. 

👉QR codes on green cracker packages will help consumers scan and identify counterfeits.

👉Only two types of green crackers, namely flowerpots and sparklers, have hit the market. They are mostly being procured from manufacturers based in the National Capital Region and a few other states such as Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. 

✏️ADVANTAGES OF GREEN CRACKERS 

1. SMOG free- Not too long ago we saw how the capital was blanketed by dense and harmful smog. The pollution level after Diwali generally rises up to 30% due to bursting crackers. Imagine if it’s that harmful to us, how hazardous it can be for our kids.
2. Less harmful gases in the air- After burning such a significant volume of crackers the environment loads up with harmful carbon, nitrous oxide, and other toxic gases. It lowers our immunity & respiratory system.
3. Less garbage- As PM started “Swach Bharat Abhiyaan” as a movement to keep the country clean, reducing the usage of firecracker can be a significant contribution towards this worthy cause.
4. Safe for cattle and pets- Our dogs, cows, and birds get harmed the most due to, loud noise and excessive pollution. They tend to get scared and sick due to such inhuman activities.
5. Fewer fire-related accidents- Every year after Diwali we hear about the many accidents that ensued because of firecrackers and these can be avoided with a bit of awareness and caution.

✏️DISADVANTAGES OF BURNING HARMFULL CHEMICAL FIRE CRACKERS 

• Burning crackers causes air pollution as it releases harmful carbon dioxide gases.
• Burning crackers also produces excessive noise causing noise pollution.
• Crackers also accumulate garbage and act as a major reason for smog too.
• Careless burning of crackers may also cause injuries to the individual.

✏️WHAT MAKES A FIRE CRACKER LIFE THREATENING?

👉The Indian Supreme court recently imposed a ban on the sale of firecrackers within the Delhi National Capital Region. Earlier in 2016 around the period of Diwali celebrations, Delhi, along with some places in China, was recorded to have the world’s worst air quality for human living. One of the reasons cited for this was the bursting of firecrackers. Diwali is one of the most popular festivals in the country. According to Hindu texts, it marks the comeback of Lord Rama to Ayodhya, and also marks the Hindu new year – these events are celebrated with pomp and show, and generally, involve bursting of firecrackers too. New Delhi already deals with the problem of air pollution from extreme automobile congestion and is the 11th most populated city in the world. Lower temperature and lower winds were recorded after Diwali last year, which proved that pollutants that remained in the air would not have dispersed. This was what came to be known as the great smog of Delhi. To avoid such extreme pollution once again the Supreme Court passed a verdict to put a ban on the sale of firecrackers around the Delhi National Capital Region.

✏️How exactly do firecrackers contribute to polluting the environment?

👉A firecracker is a small explosive device which when burned produces a loud noise along with colorful sparks. It is made up of many harmful chemicals and produces harmful gases when burnt which dissolve in the atmosphere and add to its contamination.

✏️Below are a few components which make firecrackers responsible for Air pollution and respiratory issues:

✏️Chemicals present in a firecracker:

👉Sulphur nitrates, magnesium, nitrogen dioxide are involved in the making of crackers. These prove to be hazardous for our respiratory systems and can cause serious ailments like asthma, lung cancer, shortness of breath, and many other respiratory diseases.

✏️Explosives:

👉Among the components which are responsible for cracker explosion is included Antimony sulfates, which are also used in producing the head of safety matches, military ammunition and which is even suspected to cause cancer. Mercury fulminate is a primary explosive, also used in cracker production, which is sensitive to friction, causing heat and shock to the people around. Arsenic, which is inflammable in nature but is bad for the atmosphere, is also used. Lead is found in larger crackers, and lithium, which is a flammable substance used to produce explosions, is also found in many crackers.

✏️Different types of powders involved in manufacturing:

👉Flash powder, cordite, smokeless powder, or black powder are a few of the ingredients involved in the manufacture of crackers, which again cause health issues for both animals and humans.

👉Elements like sulphur, cadmium, copper, aluminum, and barium produce resonant colors when ignited along with a huge amount of smog and gases. Nitrous oxide remains in the air for a long time if the city does not get enough rain or strong winds. The great smog of Delhi in 2016 is the greatest example of such a phenomenon.

✏️Noise Pollution: Cracker bursting not only affect the environment but it also paves way for noise pollution. The big bangs, whizzing whistles, and the thunderous sounds are no good for ears. It contributes in scaring the animals away in a very inhuman condition. Animals cannot communicate but the way these loud noises frighten them is very saddening. For example, dogs get confused on hearing these noises and seeing these lights changing in their surroundings which can be fatal for them. This sound is not even good for infants and pregnant women.  The presence of aluminum, sulfur nitrate enables a cracker to produce loud sounds.

✏️Water pollution: That’s right. Fireworks do cause water pollution as well. Many times people conduct such activities near water bodies because they want to avoid fire accidents but they end up polluting those water bodies instead. The compounds present in the cracker dissolve in the water making it poisonous and unfit for consumption, and also killing off aquatic animals.

✏️Fire Accidents: Fire accidents are common in markets during Diwali. A small spark is enough to set fire to anything. Even Bollywood has shown some of the worst fire accidents caused by crackers e.g. in the Movie Vivaah, starting Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao in lead roles, we saw how a single blaze of fire burnt down their whole house and caused serious burns to the female protagonist. Children, while paying crackers often get injuries and burns.The Indian Express newspaper reported more than 290 fire accidents during Diwali last year. 

✏️Garbage Problem: Under the Scheme of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, the Indian Prime Minister Mr.  Modi has encouraged the citizens of the nation to walk on the path of cleanliness, but the bursting of crackers leaves the whole nation dirty and full of garbage. A day of fun makes sweepers work with extra effort for the next 10 days to clean their designated localities.

👉Looking at these problems we can say that although bursting crackers is a popular tradition among us, if we look at the bigger picture then we can say that the step taken by the Supreme Court of India in posing a ban on the sale of fire-crackers, is more beneficial to us in the long run. After all, as they say ‘Health is wealth’.

✏️Below is a list of the salts used to produce particular colours.

✏️SOME INTERESTING FACTS:

👉During Diwali, the amount of smog in Delhi increases by 30% due to the bursting of crackers.

👉Anurag Aggarwal, a Delhi based scientist at CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology compared the situation of the Indian capital to the London smog of 1952 and said that it could have caused almost 4000 deaths.