Seed-spreading firecrackers launched for Diwali

In India, a push for eco-friendly firecrackers for the Hindu Diwali celebration has led one pyrotechnics company to develop firecrackers that have the potential to grow plants after the festival has ended. Vadivel Pyrotechs Private Limited says the Seedstar Firecrackers are made from vermicompost-treated paper, clay and heat-resistant seeds. 

After the firecracker is spent, the seeds are carried into the air and scattered nearby. The clay protects the seed during the pyrotechnics and then provides nourishment for it to eventually sprout. Under optimal conditions, at least 50% of the seeds will grow into plants, the company claims. 

Indians set off over a million kilograms of crackers every Diwali, and Vadivel hopes the new format will help offset Diwali’s waste issues.   “To find a permanent solution to this recurring issue and to make Earth a better place to live in, we have launched this Seedstar,” says Vasanth Vikas Arumugasamy, Managing Director of Vadivel Pyrotechs.  “The existing green crackers can decrease harmful emissions only up to 30 to 35%, whereas the groundbreaking Seedstar reduces emissions to a greater extent and paves the way for a greener future by dispersing high-grade seeds on the ground.” 

Seed varieties include Pongame Oil Tree, Tamarind, Neem, Albizia Lebbeck, Bamboo, Portia Tree, Leucaena, Papaya, Lemon, Casuarina Junghuhniana, Teak, Pithecellobium Dulce, Citron, Curry Leaf, Saraca Asoca, Chinaberry, Abrus Precatorius, Sapota, Coral Tree, Pterocarpus Marsupium, Nigella Sativa, Laburnum Tree, Water Melon, Pumpkin, Pea, Pigeon, Bottle Gourd, Bitter Gourd, Guava, and Sugar-apple.