Written by Dr. Wazeem Nishad

When scientists at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research–National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) developed green crackers, it marked an important step towards cleaner celebrations. Born out of a necessity to combat the thick, hazardous smog that chokes major cities during festivals, their efforts aimed to reduce smoke, noise, and harmful emissions through improved formulations and safer chemistry.

Seven years after their launch, it’s worth looking back to understand how far this innovation has come — and how green it truly is.

What makes a cracker ‘green’?

Traditional firecrackers rely on chemical mixtures of potassium nitrate, barium nitrate, aluminium powder, sulphur, and charcoal. These compounds produce brillia

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