Mumbai: Chemical test reveals presence of toxic substances in firecrackers

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Mumbai-based Awaaz Foundation has written to the police and Maharashtra government after a chemical test revealed the presence of highly toxic substances in firecrackers.

The NGO had on Thursday conducted separate tests to assess noise levels and presence of chemicals in firecrackers. The organisation along with the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) had tested noise levels of firecrackers and found that they all fell within the permissible decibel limit of 120, the foundation's convener Sumaira Abdulali said.

However, a test that the organisation conducted independently revealed the presence of toxic chemicals such as arsenic, sulphur, barium and chlorine in firecrackers, she said.

"For the first time since we started testing in 2008 all crackers have fallen within permissible decibel limit of 120. The maximum was 114 from a series of 10,000 crackers," Abdulali said.

Awaaz Foundation analysed the chemical contents of commonly available firecrackers and found substances banned by the Supreme Court, including barium in several of them, she said.

In 2021, the presence of barium was openly displayed on the packaging of firecrackers. However, this year, none of the boxes mentioned the presence of barium, she said.

The Supreme Court had last year expressed serious concerns about the effects of hazardous chemicals on people's health. It had placed on record Awaaz Foundation's findings in its order passed in October last year, the NGO official said.

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The Apex court had stated, "We again reiterate the directions issued by this court earlier reproduced hereinabove including banning the use of barium salts in firecrackers, manufacturing and selling joined firecrackers and other directions issued by this Court reproduced hereinabove. We direct all the States as well as Union Territories to see that the directions issued earlier by this Court and issued by this Court today are strictly complied with in its true spirit and in toto." Any lapse on the part of the state governments, state agencies and Union Territories shall be viewed very seriously, the court had stated in the order and added that concerned authorities in the states will be held personally liable if it is found that any banned firecrackers are manufactured, sold and used in any particular area.

The organisation has submitted the report to the police and state government and appealed to them to ensure that no firecrackers containing chemicals banned by the Supreme Court were distributed, sold or used in Maharashtra at any time, Abdulali said.

"For the first time since we started testing firecrackers for noise levels in 2008, all crackers have fallen within the permissible decibel limit of 120. The maximum was 114 db," she said.

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