Green crackers must cut particulate matter by at least 30%, or reduce it by 20% alongside a 10% cut in gaseous pollutants.
CSIR-NEERI developed SWAS, SAFAL and STAR formulations to lower emissions; the products are not pollution-free.
The Supreme Court has allowed certified green crackers in Delhi-NCR on November 7 and 8, within two specified time windows.
The green label does not make a firecracker clean. It sets a lower bar for the smoke and gases it releases. India’s certified crackers are designed to pollute less than conventional fireworks of the same category, but they still add emissions to the air.
The Supreme Court has allowed certified green crackers in Delhi-NCR on November 7 and 8, between 6am and 7am and 8pm and 10pm. Sales are permitted from November 4 to 6; the complete ban returns on November 9.
The Numbers Behind The Green Label
A cracker qualifies by meeting one of two emission benchmarks: it must release at least 30% less particulate matter than a conventional cracker of the same category, or cut particulate matter by at least 20% and gaseous pollutants by at least 10%.
Particulate matter is the fine dust and soot that lingers after a burst. Green crackers are intended to reduce these emissions; the certification does not mean they produce none.
What Changes Inside The Cracker?
CSIR, through the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), developed lower-emission formulations. The government introduced them in 2019.
Three formulations anchor the programme. SWAS uses water-releasing materials intended to capture some particulate matter during combustion. SAFAL reduces the aluminium content. STAR uses iron oxide to improve combustion efficiency.
Some products have reported reductions above the minimum standard. Open Magazine reported that NEERI’s STAR-F Flower formulation cut PM2.5 emissions by 35.6% and PM10 emissions by 45.5%.
Less Pollution Is Still Pollution
A green cracker still burns chemicals and releases pollutants. How much reaches the air also depends on how many crackers are burst. A lower-emission product does not erase the impact of a large burst of fireworks.
That distinction matters in Delhi-NCR, where vehicle exhaust, industrial activity, construction dust and crop-residue burning already contribute to pollution. When weather traps pollutants close to the ground, fireworks add to the mix.
Where And When Can Crackers Be Burst?
The Supreme Court’s temporary relaxation applies only to Delhi-NCR. Certified green crackers may be burst on November 7 and 8, only between 6am and 7am and 8pm and 10pm. The court has also barred fireworks within 300 metres of hospitals, nursing homes, health centres, old-age homes, educational institutions and notified silence zones.
The order prohibits crackers containing barium, firecracker strings known as laris and online sales. It also requires product-specific QR codes on packaging to identify approved products. The relaxation does not automatically apply elsewhere.
The certification promises a smaller emissions footprint, not a pollution-free celebration. A green cracker still leaves smoke in the air; the label tells buyers only that it is meant to leave less.
