Why crackers are harmful: Embracing a cleaner, greener Diwali

Diwali, known as the festival of lights, is a celebration of prosperity and joy, and people eagerly embrace the festivities with new attire, decorated and cleaned homes, and a variety of delicious foods. Firecrackers, though relatively modern additions to the festivities, are increasingly popular for Diwali, New Year, and other celebrations. However, unlike other ways of celebrating, firecrackers emit loud noises and release toxic gases, heavy metals, and particulate matter that can be harmful to health. Often, we overlook these harmful effects as the attractive packaging of firecrackers rarely discloses their contents or potential dangers, unlike the mandatory warnings on cigarette packs.

Firecrackers use fuel, typically charcoal, for ignition. They also include chemicals (oxidizers and reducers) to amplify explosiveness, heavy metals for vibrant colors, and regulators to control burn speed. Binding materials such as paper and glue hold everything together, adding further to the harmful pollutants emitted.

Health Hazards

Firecrackers release a variety of pollutants that can lead to acute respiratory issues, including difficulty in breathing, worsening of asthma and bronchitis, reduced lung capacity, increased emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and even daily fatalities. Over time, exposure to these pollutants can lead to chronic respiratory diseases, fibrosis, and even lung cancer.

Firecracker Composition

Firecrackers contain:

• Fuels like charcoal, potassium nitrate, and sulfur.

• Oxidizers and reducers such as nitrates, chlorates, or perchlorates.

• Heavy metals like aluminum, strontium, barium, and copper for color.

• Burn rate regulators and binding agents (paper, glue) contribute to the structural integrity of each firecracker.

Firecrackers emit various pollutants, including ash, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Impact on Air Quality

Firecrackers release high concentrations of fine particles (PM2.5), which can drastically pollute the air in minutes. Studies, such as those by the Research Foundation in Pune, have shown that firecrackers generate significantly high PM2.5 levels—exceeding safe limits. A single "snake" firecracker can produce nearly 64,500 µg/m³ of PM2.5 in just three minutes, while a "garland" (a string of 1,000 crackers) releases 38,450 µg/m³ in six minutes. Even a small sparkler or ground spinner can release dangerous levels of PM2.5 in mere minutes, exposing people to harmful particles immediately and potentially for the long term. These particles not only inflame the lungs but weaken the immune system, causing more significant damage than equivalent pollution from automobiles or other sources. Some studies even suggest that firecrackers produce 40 to 400 times more toxic gases than cigarettes.

Comparing Firecracker Pollution with Ambient Pollution

Some people argue that many sources contribute to pollution, which may make the effects of firecrackers seem negligible. However, research confirms that particulate matter from firecrackers is considerably more dangerous than regular ambient pollution. While firecrackers are legally produced, they contain a variety of heavy metals and toxic compounds linked to cancer and other health issues.

The Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization (PESO) has established limits on certain chemicals in firecrackers, like sulfur, nitrates, and aluminum. The Supreme Court of India has banned specific hazardous materials, including lithium, mercury, arsenic, lead, and antimony, as well as potassium chlorate-based firecrackers. Nonetheless, there is limited regulation on the presence of metals like aluminum, barium, strontium, and copper in these products. Firecrackers, which emit 40 to 400 times more harmful gases than cigarettes, often lack warning labels about adverse health effects and age restrictions, putting children, who are frequently supervised by adults, at risk.

Pollution Severity in India

India ranks among the most polluted nations globally, with 13 of the world’s 20 most polluted cities, including Delhi, often reported as the most polluted. In addition to outdoor pollution, indoor air quality suffers from burning fossil fuels like wood and coal in poorly ventilated homes, affecting the health of women and children the most.

Embracing Diwali’s True Essence

Diwali represents the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. Traditionally, Indian culture has promoted harmony between people and nature, with Diwali prayers often honoring the Earth. This festive season, let’s make thoughtful choices to celebrate responsibly, helping preserve the environment and protect our well-being for a brighter future.

About a third of global asthma cases reported in 2019 were related to prolonged exposure to pollution due to PM2.5 or fine particulate matter, a finding that researchers said provided "sufficient evidence" on the link between air pollution and asthma. The review of 68 studies conducted from 2019-2023 across 22 countries, including South Asian ones, showed that for every 10 micrograms per cubic metre increase in PM2.5, the risk of developing childhood or adult asthma increases by over 21 per cent.

The respiratory condition is marked by recurring symptoms of wheezing, coughing and breathlessness and can severely impair quality of life. "We estimate that globally in 2019, almost a third of asthma cases are attributable to long-term PM2.5 exposure, corresponding to 63.5 million existing cases and 11.4 million new cases," first author Ruijing Ni, from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, said. While evidence has suggested long-term exposure to fine particulate matter pollution to be a risk factor for developing asthma, the researchers said that inconsistencies in earlier studies left potential health risk of this exposure to debate.

However, their analysis, published in the journal One Earth, found that "long-term exposure to PM2.5 significantly increases asthma risk in both children and adults and is associated with (nearly) 30 per cent asthma cases globally". There is now sufficient evidence and a high level of confidence in the link between long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5 and asthma, the researchers said. Children formed majority of the affected -- over 60 per cent, the study found. Lungs and immune function are known to fully mature until early adulthood, which is why children are considered more vulnerable to air pollution, as exposure to it can lead to inflammation and over-reactivity in airways.

Further, previous research is also limited on how PM2.5 pollution affects people in low- and middle-income countries where populations are typically exposed to higher levels of air pollution and bear a greater burden of PM2.5, the researchers said. Using epidemiological models, the team estimated that about 0.12 million excess deaths were due to asthma. These deaths were found to exclusively occur in adults, most of them in India and China, followed by those in countries in Southeast Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The authors noted that despite relatively lower levels of PM2.5 exposure, Northern America and Western Europe also contributed significantly to asthma prevalence and incidence. "Our findings highlight the urgent need for policymakers to enforce stringent legislation to continuously combat air pollution, while personal protective measures, such as wearing masks, can also help reduce individual exposure and mitigate the risk of asthma," said corresponding author Yafang Cheng, the director of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry.