CSIR-NEERI develops firecrackers that reduce air pollution by 30%
| Date :31-Oct-2019 |
Principal Correspondent :
CSIR- National Environmental and Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) has developed new formulations without Barium Nitrate for some of the products of light and sound category of firecrackers mostly based on dry formulations including Chinese firecrackers, maroons, atom bombs, flowerpots, pencils, sparklers. These samples are meeting the stipulated norms of green crackers and the emissions test certificates have been issued accordingly.
Dr Sadhana Rayalu
According to experts, it has helped in reducing air pollution by 30 per cent. Dr Sadhana Rayalu, Chief Scientist and Head of NEERI’s Environment Materials Division (EMD) is the head of this programme. NEERI, along with the Fireworks Factory, obtained Green Cracker Composition Approval From Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisations (PESO). There are 28 fireworks manufacturers those came forward and joined hands with NEERI, for this project. These green fireworks are prepared in such a way that they have reduced noise and air pollution impacts. Dr Rakesh Kumar, Director of NEERI pointed out that they could not make major impact this year since there was no promotion of the same. But he is optimistic that it would be more result-oriented in next Diwali.
Green flower pots do not have Barium Nitrate and polyvinyl chloride, but has dust suppressant, which reduces particulate matter pollution by 30 to 40 per cent. “We have prepared green crackers and green sparklers, which will have less particulate and other pollutant emission,” pointed out Sadhana Rayalu. CSIR-NEERI has set up first of its kind state of art facility for testing emissions from firecrackers. Raw materials compositional analysis and emission testing facility (RACE) launched at Sivakasi as a joint programme of CSIR, Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and CC and FW manufacturers. NEERI prepared three models of firecrackers that emits less pollutant air.
They include SWAS, STAR, SAFAL. They were demonstrated to firework manufacturers (TANFAMA and TIFMA) PESO and CPCB at CSIR-NEERI from October 2018 onwards. Dr Rayalu informed, “Nearly 230 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and 165 Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) have been signed with fireworks manufactures to facilitate hand-holding with stakeholders to enable smooth transition. Nearly 530 emissions testing certificates have been issued to fireworks manufactures for new and improved formulations meeting the stipulated guidelines of green crackers. Manufactures are approaching PESO for approval and final authorization to manufacture green crackers since March, 2019. Technical Committee was constituted for 'definition of green crackers' including CSIR-NEERI, PESO and CPCB officials based on directives of APEX court.
Accordingly, the definition was finalized and submitted by CSIR to PESO for filing affidavit in APEX court. MoEF and CC directed CSIR-NEERI to develop the 'baseline emission values' for benchmarking the green crackers and accordingly report was submitted. MoEF and CC also directed CSIR-NEERI to assess the Barium levels in PM (Particulate Matter, related to air quality) after reduced usage of chemicals and additives in fireworks, the findings have been included in the above referred report to MoEF.
And CSIR-NEERI got the project The Apex court had imposed a ban on the sale of firecrackers in Delhi in 2017. Indian Fireworks industry is huge industry with annual turnover of over Rs 6,000 crore worth and annual growth rate of about 10 per cent provides employment opportunities to over 5 lakh families. Considering the seriousness of the issue from human angle, the Union Minister of Science and Technology Dr Harsh Vardhan exhorted CSIR scientific community to initiate Research and Development wing to address this issue of growing environmental concerns due to fireworks emissions and also protect the growing economy of fireworks. Subsequently in January 2018 eight institutes of CSIR embarked on this project to develop reduce emission/green fireworks. CSIR-NEERI finally was assigned the task of coordinating this activity.
