Noise levels from firecrackers have shown a significant decline over the past 15 years, according to a report by the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) and NGO Awaaz Foundation. Joint noise testing for this year conducted by the MPCB and NGO on Tuesday afternoon found that all firecrackers tested were well within permissible noise limits, a significant improvement compared to previous years. Thirty types of firecrackers available in the local market were tested on Tuesday, with noise levels recorded below 99 decibels (dB) for each sample.

However, despite the progress in noise reduction, concerns remain about the chemical composition of firecrackers. Awaaz Foundation’s chemical analysis revealed the presence of several banned and toxic substances, including barium oxide (BaO), a compound hazardous to health and prohibited by the Supreme Court in 2018. Of the 30 samples tested this year, 11 were found to contain barium. In comparison, last year, 14 out of 22 firecracker samples tested contained barium, and in 2022, 13 out of 18 samples included the banned substance.