Green crackers under sound limit but contain banned chemicals: Awaaz Foundation
Awaaz Foundation found all 30 tested Diwali firecrackers compliant with noise limits, but all contained banned toxic chemicals, raising pollution concerns.
MUMBAI: For the first time in 15 years, Awaaz Foundation, which conducts an annual noise test on Diwali firecrackers, found that all 30 were compliant with the legal decibel (dB) limit of 125 dB. The most noise, at 90.7 dB, was emitted from a serial firecracker titled Red Fort 5000.

“What felt like a useless exercise all these years has finally borne fruit,” said Sumaira Abdulali, founder of Awaaz Foundation. “It’s been slow progress but finally successful due to increased awareness about noise pollution, less demand for excessively noisy crackers and the police seizing crackers that exceed the decibel limit.”
However, Abdulali added that the noise tests, done under controlled conditions—on the open ground of the RCF compound in Chembur, from a distance of 10 meters away and burst one by one—did not mirror real-life conditions. On the streets, crackers are burst in tight spaces, among buildings and concrete, creating echoes; and multiple crackers are burst simultaneously, creating an experience that is damaging for the ears.
But although the noise factor was found reduced during the testing, there was a disconcerting air pollution issue. All the 30 firecrackers tested, though rated ‘Green’, violated the chemical component test carried out by the NGO. “The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) does not carry out a chemical test of the firecrackers, but our tests found that every single one of them contained chemicals banned by the Supreme Court and the Hazardous Chemicals Rules,” said Abdulali. “Barium, sulphur and copper were among the harmful chemicals found, which are extremely toxic for children and others handling the crackers and breathing in the air.”
The activist added that the banned chemicals, when released through firecrackers, would create poisonous particulate matter in the air, making them particularly lethal. While none of the crackers had a QR code containing a link to their chemical compositions last year, some did have them this time around, although some proved to be bogus. This was also an improvement, said Abdulali.
After the activist spoke to MPCB officials about the chemicals, they asked her to submit a written request for the chemical test, following which they will carry it out. “The test will probably not be useful for this Diwali, but crackers are being used all round the year for other reasons,” said Abdulali. “When the test is conducted by the MPCB, it will be official and hopefully have a long-term effect.”

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