Syllabus: 

GS-3: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment 

Context:

Relaxing the blanket ban on fireworks in Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), the Supreme Court has temporarily permitted the sale and use of green firecrackers. 

More on the News

• Referring the  verdict of Arjun Gopal v Union of India (2018) case, the Chief Justice of India noted that regulation, not prohibition, was the intended mechanism for ensuring environmental safety.
• The Bench described the relaxation as a “test case” to examine whether a carefully regulated framework could coexist with efforts to mitigate air pollution. 
• The court has allowed manufacturers who have been certified by NEERI and PESO to produce green crackers and to continue their operations. 

The Court emphasized a “balanced approach” to protect both livelihoods in the firecracker industry and the right to a clean, pollution-free environment instead of “an iron-handed and totalitarian approach” against the firecracker industry. Green Crackers 

Green Crackers are developed by the CSIR–National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), by reducing the size of the shells, eliminating ash, using fewer raw materials, and adding dust-suppressing additives.

Types of Green Crackers: 

• SWAS (Safe Water Releaser): Incorporates water molecules to minimize dust and particulate matter.
• STAR (Safe Thermite Cracker): Designed to emit reduced heat energy and fewer pollutants during combustion.
• SAFAL (Safe Minimal Aluminium): Contains lower aluminium content to restrict metallic emissions.

Key Advantages from Regular Firecrackers:

• Lower Emissions: They release 30-35% less particulate matter and harmful gases like sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂). 
• Reduced Noise: Their sound levels are capped at 110-125 decibels, compared to the 160+ decibels of conventional crackers. 
• Safer Chemistry: They avoid toxic substances like barium nitrate, arsenic, and mercury, using safer compounds such as potassium nitrate and minimal aluminium. 
• Smarter Design: Smaller shells, dust suppressants, and ash-free compositions help minimize pollution.
• Public Health Advantage: Reduced pollutants lower the risk of respiratory ailments, headaches, and eye irritation commonly seen during festive pollution peaks.

Shortcomings of Green Crackers 

• Soil Contamination: Soil analysis after firecracker burning confirmed that residual metals like aluminium, copper and strontium particles still present.
• Rise in ultrafine particles (UFPs): These Nanoparticles emission can travel deep into the lungs and bloodstream, posing serious health risks.
• Health Issues: Exposure to metal-rich PM like soluble barium oxides and aluminium particles produced on combustion can trigger asthma, bronchitis, and cardiac arrhythmia.
• Implementation challenges: proliferation of counterfeit products makes it difficult for consumers to guarantee they are purchasing a certified low-emission cracker.

Sources:
The Hindu
Scob Server
Indian Express