“Green crackers” with a promise of zero pollution have flooded the Diwali market but scientists say they are only less-polluting.

Diwali is round the corner and people have started stocking up on crackers. Police and the pollution control board have vowed tough action against violators. Environmentalists, too, are urging people to shun crackers to check pollution.

Metro deconstructs what a green cracker is, how good it is and how does one know whether a cracker is green.

What are green crackers?

Green crackers and sparklers do not contain some very toxic chemicals such as barium salts, arsenic and mercury. They can reduce air pollution by 30 per cent compared to conventional crackers. Besides, a kind of dust suppressant is used to manufacture a green cracker, thus reducing the volume of small particles being emitted when they are burnt.

The common perception is that green crackers do not cause pollution, but scientists and environmentalists said the impact of green crackers on the environment is only marginally less than conventional crackers.

Do green crackers pollute the air?

Contrary to common perception they contribute significantly to noise, visual and air pollution. A senior scientist with the West Bengal Pollution Control Board said a cracker always pollutes and a green cracker is a misnomer. “Only a few toxic chemicals are not used in manufacturing a green cracker. It would still emit a lot of PM 2.5 and PM 10,” the scientist said.

PM 2.5 is a pollutant with particles less than 2.5 microns in size. These particles are invisible to the naked eye and can reach the respiratory tract easily. Once inside the human body, the particles carrying toxic chemicals enter the bloodstream and organs.

How do I identify a green cracker?

A senior official of the Central Pollution Control Board said crackers made in keeping with the specifications of a green cracker would display the tag “green cracker” on the cover.

If we burn green crackers, is that fine for the environment?

No. They would contribute less to pollution, but the contribution would still be significant. The Central Pollution Control Board has tweeted to bust the myth about green crackers. Green crackers emit an equal amount of light as conventional crackers and both produce equal intensity of sound, the tweet says. It also mentions that green crackers in reality reduce air pollution by only 30 per cent.

How harmful are the pollutants?

Despite restrictions on the use of certain chemicals, green crackers are still likely to contain other harmful chemicals such as aluminium, sulphur, potassium nitrate and aluminium chips, said Anumita Roy Chowdhury, an air quality management specialist.

Can I burn any volume of green crackers?

Yes. There is no bar on burning of green crackers. But crackers can be burst only between 8pm and 10pm. A central pollution board official said the time restriction is based on a Supreme Court order.

“There is also no bar on production of green crackers. So, if people think they can burn any quantity of green crackers, that would have a similarly harmful effect on the environment,” said Roy Chowdhury, the executive director of the Centre for Science and Environment, a research and advocacy organisation working on environmental matters.

Does the government approve of green crackers despite their polluting powers?

Delhi police has asked revellers to use green crackers, but neither the police nor the pollution control board in Bengal has advocated the use of green crackers.

An official of the central pollution control board told Metro that green crackers are the only legal crackers in the country. “Green crackers were made on the order of Supreme Court. So it is applicable across the country,” said the official.

This doesn’t, however, mean that Bengal has fared better in controlling cracker-induced pollution. A scientist with a central government organisation said that imposing the use of green crackers would help reduce pollution. “No one has been able to stop the use of crackers. So what is the point in saying green crackers also pollute the air? At least they pollute less than conventional crackers. If we cannot stop the use of crackers, then we must at least try to reduce its harmful effects,” said the scientist.

Is there no way we can see lights without burning toxic chemicals while celebrating Diwali?

Arvind Kejriwal’s government in Delhi has organised laser shows at Central Park, Connaught Place, every evening. An advertisement put out by the Delhi government asks people to come to the shows and “celebrate a smoke-free Diwali”.