Delhi's "green crackers" were meant to be a cleaner way to celebrate, but experts say they're mostly missing the mark.
Despite claims of cutting particulate matter by 30%, these fireworks often don't deliver, thanks to weak enforcement and misleading labels.
Environmentalists warn that the real impact on air quality is severe and short-lived.
Abhiir Bhalla calls green crackers greenwashing
environmentalist Abhiir Bhalla says green crackers are "Green crackers are nothing more than greenwashing," saying, "Even that 30% reduction isn't really happening."
He points out that firecrackers only make up about 95% of elemental PM2.5 during peak celebrations of Delhi's pollution spike during Diwali: the rest comes from vehicles, construction, and factories.
Experts urge stricter rules and more community awareness to tackle year-round air quality issues, not just festival nights.