Green crackers may emit fewer pollutants than conventional firecrackers, but they are far from harmless, doctors warned on Thursday, cautioning that even reduced emissions could trigger asthma attacks, aggravate chronic respiratory diseases and increase the risk of cardiovascular complications amid Delhi's already elevated pollution levels.
With the Supreme Court permitting the bursting of certified green crackers in Delhi-NCR on November 7 and 8, medical specialists urged residents not to mistake lower emissions for safety, particularly for children, senior citizens, pregnant women and people with pre-existing respiratory or cardiac conditions.
Doctors said green crackers continued to release harmful particulate matter and toxic gases, which could worsen air quality and pose serious health risks, especially during Delhi's winter months when pollutants tend to remain trapped close to the ground.
๐๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฒ๐บ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐, ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ธ๐
Dr Ankit Singhal, senior consultant, respiratory medicine, at Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, said green crackers were designed to reduce particulate matter emissions by approximately 30 per cent compared with conventional firecrackers and limit the use of certain harmful chemicals.
However, he said they continued to release PM2.5 and PM10 particles, along with toxic gases such as nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide.
These pollutants could irritate the respiratory tract, trigger asthma attacks, worsen chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and aggravate existing heart and lung conditions.
Singhal cautioned that children, elderly people, pregnant women and individuals with respiratory illnesses were particularly vulnerable, as even short-term exposure to elevated pollution levels could adversely affect their health.
Dr Ujjawal Parakh, senior consultant, chest medicine, at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said the reduction in emissions should not be interpreted as an equivalent reduction in health risks.
"A 30 per cent reduction doesn't mean 30 per cent less harmful or 30 per cent safer for health. It is just an emission criterion and has nothing to do with the effect on health," he said.
Parakh explained that pollutant particles released by green crackers could cause irritation in the nasal canal, throat and upper airways, increase sputum production and worsen respiratory conditions.
He added that exposure could trigger oxidative stress, affect blood pressure and increase susceptibility to cardiac arrhythmias and coronary events.
๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต๐ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ฝ๐น๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ผ ๐ฎ๐ณ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ
Doctors said the impact of deteriorating air quality was increasingly being observed even among individuals without a history of respiratory illnesses.
Dr Nikhil Modi, senior consultant, respiratory medicine, at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, cited the case of a 50-year-old man with a history of asthma who developed pneumonia and experienced a decline in oxygen levels after returning to Delhi a few weeks ago.
His wife and son, neither of whom had a history of asthma, also developed respiratory symptoms, including throat irritation, congestion and breathing difficulties.
While the man required medical attention, the other two family members were receiving outpatient treatment but continued to experience symptoms.
Modi said neither the wife nor the son developed a fever, while the man was the only family member to report one.
He said the case illustrated how poor air quality could affect different members of the same household, including those without pre-existing respiratory conditions.
The example also highlighted the challenges faced by doctors in managing respiratory symptoms during periods of sustained pollution.
๐๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฐ๐น๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐น๐๐ป๐ด๐
Dr Arun Chowdary Kotaru, director and head of pulmonology at FMRI, Gurugram, said exposure to emissions from green crackers could cause coughing, throat discomfort, breathlessness and wheezing.
He explained that fine particulate matter could penetrate deep into the lungs and contribute to inflammation, potentially worsening existing respiratory conditions.
Children, elderly people and those with pre-existing respiratory or cardiac illnesses faced greater risks from such exposure, he said.
Kotaru advised residents to minimise firecracker use and avoid areas where crackers were being burst.
He also recommended that vulnerable individuals remain indoors with windows closed during peak exposure hours to reduce contact with polluted outdoor air.
๐ช๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐ ๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐น๐ถ๐ณ๐ ๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ
Dr Sandeep Nayar, principal director and head of the Centre for Chest and Respiratory Diseases at BLK-Max Hospital, said Delhi's winter conditions made firecracker emissions particularly concerning.
He explained that high baseline concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10, low wind speeds and temperature inversion restricted the dispersion of pollutants, allowing them to accumulate near the ground.
As a result, even additional emissions from green crackers could contribute to deteriorating air quality and increased exposure.
Nayar said fine particles could penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, triggering oxidative stress and inflammation.
Such exposure could potentially increase the risk of cardiovascular complications, particularly among people with existing heart conditions.
For individuals with asthma and COPD, the pollutants could also trigger acute bronchospasm, wheezing and worsening respiratory symptoms.
The specialist cautioned that Delhi's existing pollution burden meant even a comparatively smaller increase in emissions could have significant consequences for vulnerable populations.
๐ฆ๐๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฐ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป๐
The Supreme Court, in an interim order issued on Monday, permitted the bursting of only certified green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR on November 7 and 8.
The permission applies to green crackers certified by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO).
The court also prohibited the bursting of firecrackers within a 300-metre radius of hospitals, old-age homes and other notified silence zones.
Authorities were directed to ensure strict compliance with the restrictions during the permitted period.
The bench emphasised that festival celebrations must not become a health hazard for others, particularly patients admitted to hospitals.
๐๐ผ๐ฐ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
Medical specialists reiterated that the classification of firecrackers as environmentally improved products did not eliminate their potential health effects.
They stressed that the approximately 30 per cent reduction in particulate emissions represented a technical standard rather than a guarantee of reduced health risks.
Doctors advised people with asthma, COPD and cardiovascular conditions to avoid direct exposure to firecracker smoke and take additional precautions during periods of poor air quality.
They also urged families with young children, elderly members and pregnant women to minimise outdoor exposure when crackers were being burst.
With Delhi already experiencing high pollution levels, specialists cautioned that any additional particulate emissions could worsen respiratory symptoms and increase the burden on vulnerable individuals.
The warnings underscored the distinction between reducing emissions and eliminating health risks, with doctors maintaining that green crackers should not be considered a safe alternative to conventional fireworks.