The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) scientists has developed less polluting green firecrackers named SWAS,SAFAL,STAR. Green crackers are so named because they do not contain harmful chemicals that would cause air pollution.
Features
- SWAS stands for safe water releaser, SAFAL stands for safe minimal aluminum and STAR stands for safe thermite cracker.
- These crackers are 15-20 percent cheaper than the conventional ones.
- STAR eliminates usage of Potassium nitrate and sulphur.
- SAFAL has less usage of aluminum as compared to commercial crackers.
- The new crackers have been developed by Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI) based in Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu and National Environmental Engineering Research Institute in Nagpur.
- The firecrackers have a unique property of releasing water vapour.
- The researchers at CECRI have developed green crackers by modifying the chemical formulations for flower pots, ‘jiljil’ and used flower pots as a substitution for barium nitrate .
- The crackers will come in the market after the approval from Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organization (PESO), which is the nodal agency for safety requirements in manufacture, storage, transport of all types of explosives.
- It matches the sound intensity of commercial crackers in the range of 105-110 decibels.
About CSIR –NEERI
The CSIR-National Environmental Engineering Research Institute is a research institute created and funded by Government of India under the Ministry of Science and Technology. It works in the field of environmental science and engineering and is a part of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. It was established in Nagpur in 1958.
The Indian fireworks industry has an annual turnover of over Rs 6000 crore .It provides employment opportunities to about 5 lakh families annually. CSIR tried to address pollution level and at the same time protecting the livelihoods of those involved in this industry.