Supreme Court bans five chemicals used for manufacturing crackers
The ban was sought by the Central Pollution Control Board and will come immediately into effect.
Hyderabad: The Supreme Court has ordered that five hazardous chemicals be banned from use in the manufacture of firecrackers. The chemicals, lithium, antimony, mercury, arsenic and lead are known to be hazardous to human health and the environment.
Senior scientist Babu Rao from IICT has lauded the ruling. “These chemicals are heavy metals and when they burn they vapourise and mix with the air. Chemicals like mercury, once in the air, cannot be removed in any way,” he said.
These chemicals are added to increase the sparkling, smoking and colouring properties of the crackers. They float in the air and condense and enter water sources. They cause cardiovascular abnormalities, hypertension, skin cancer etc.
The Pollution Control Board Telangana is yet to receive directives on how the use and sale of these chemicals and crackers must be regulated.
“These chemicals are extremely costly and not easily available. So if any small scale manufacturing is happening, it can be regulated,” said Mr Raveendhar, senior scientist at the Pollution Control Board.
According to retailers and wholesalers in the city, Sivakashi in Tamil Nadu is the only place where such chemicals are used and so regulation will be easy.
“We have very small stocks of Rs 30,000-40,000, which will be used soon. If we get crackers without these chemicals we will push for their sale,” said Mr Rajesh of Bhagya Rekha Crackers.
The ban was sought by the Central Pollution Control Board and will come immediately into effect.