The noise standards for fire crackers have been notified under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986 (Annexure-I). These standards are enforced by the Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO), Nagpur earlier known as Department of Explosives.

  During manufacturing of crackers, samples of various sound emitting fire crackers are drawn for testing by the officials of PESO. In case, samples are found exceeding the prescribed noise levels, the concerned manufacturer is reportedly advised by PESO to destroy the respective batch. Initially, the defaulter is warned and if non-compliance is repetitive in nature, ‘Stop-manufacturing’ orders are issued by PESO.

PESO has reportedly not permitted the import of sound emitting fire crackers having Chinese origin, so far.

Annexure-I

A.             (i)   The manufacture, sale or  of fire-crackers generating noise level exceeding 125 dB(AI) of 145dB(C) at 4 metres distance from the point of bursting shall be prohibited.

(ii)        For individual fire-cracker constituting the series (joined fire-crackers), the above mentioned limit be reduced by 5 log₁₀ (N) dB, where  N= number of crackers joined together.

B.  The broad requirements for measurement of noise from fire-crackers shall be-

(i)                 The measurements shall be made on  hard concrete surface of minimum 5 metre diameter or equivalet.

(ii)               The measurements shall be made in free field conditions i.e., there shall not be any reflecting surface upto 15 metre distance from the point of bursting.

(iii)             The measurement shall be made with an approved sound level metre.

C. The Department of Explosive shall ensure implementation of these standards.

[1]D.       The fire crackers for the purpose of export shall be exempted from the sub-paragraphs A, B and C above subject to the compliance of the following conditions, namely :-

(i)              the manufacturer shall have an export order;

(ii)            the fire crackers shall conform to the level prescribed in the country to which it is exported;

(iii)          they shall have a different packing colour code, and

(iv)          there shall be a declaration on the box “not for sale in India” or “only for export in other countries”.

Note :   dB(A1) : A-weighted impulse sound pressure level in decibel.

              dB(C)_pk : C – weighted peak sound pressure level in decibel.]

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan in a written reply to a question by. Shri Manikrao H. Gavit, Shri Kodikkunnil Suresh, Shri D.B. Chandre Gowda, Shri Kishnbhai V. Patel And Shri Pradeep Majhi in Lok Sabha today.

KP