Delhi's Diwali goes green: Inside how US and China regulate their fireworks

The Supreme Court said that Delhi residents will be allowed to burst only certified low-emission crackers between October 18 and 21, from 6 pm to 10 pm, including on Diwali and the day before

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The Supreme Court on Wednesday (October 15) brought cheer to Delhiites by greenlighting the use of green firecrackers, reversing a blanket ban that had been in force. In the order, the court said that Delhi residents will be allowed to burst only certified low-emission crackers between October 18 and 21, from 6 pm to 10 pm, including on Diwali and the day before. Each green cracker will carry a QR code for verification, making it easier to identify genuine low-emission products.

 

The decision came after the Delhi government, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, had urged the top court to consider the “sentiment” of Delhiites who associate fireworks with festive joy, while still adhering to environmental safeguards.

 

With this ruling, the top court has sought to find middle ground allowing the sky to light up, albeit in a greener, shorter, and more regulated glow. But how do other big countries like the US and China deal with firecrackers?

How the US controls use of firecrackers 

The United States’ approach to the use and sale of firecrackers is a combination of federal standards for consumer fireworks with a patchwork of state and local rules that often push retail sales to the edges of towns or outside it. At federal-level, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) sets performance and labelling standards for consumer fireworks. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives controls professional displays, where state and municipal ordinances determine whether and where fireworks can be sold or discharged. 

 

Additionally, many US cities (like Massachusetts) ban any use of firecrackers inside city limits while allowing sales in unincorporated county areas or at temporary retail sites (the familiar seasonal “tents” at town fringes). State maps and local fire-marshal maps routinely show permitted and prohibited zones, and counties often authorise sales only in non-urban areas. 

 

On top of that, the dates of sale and permitted use are often limited (for example, a few days around July 4th and New Year’s), and many state jurisdictions impose age limits and prohibit use near sensitive sites like hospitals or gas stations.

 

Economically, consumer spending on fireworks in the US has recovered strongly since 2020 with industry tallies putting national consumer spending at roughly $2.2 billion in 2024, which was fuelled by holiday demand and many municipal public displays, according to data from the American Pyrotechnics Association and its member data remain the most used source for US consumption figures.

How China enforces city bans for fireworks

  China’s urban policy on fireworks is strict and centralised. Large cities including Beijing and Shanghai have long set their near-  total bans inside urban districts, while some suburban and rural districts permit fireworks in limited, designated areas or during specified festival hours. Local governments frequently publish lists of permitted sale points and temporary sales outlets for festival periods. The aim is to concentrate use and contain fire risk and air pollution while retaining limited traditional displays.

 

Major cities such as Beijing and Guangzhou impose a broader ban or strict limitation zones, for example, fireworks may be prohibited year-round in most urban districts, especially near airports, industrial parks, and dense residential blocks. Furthermore, some city governments allow limited fireworks use during traditional festivals (example, Lunar New Year), but only within designated time windows and outside core urban zones.

 

On the manufacturing front, China dominates the global trade in pyrotechnics. Official provincial data and municipal reports show Liuyang in Hunan province and adjacent clusters produce the bulk of China’s fireworks and account for most exports with Liuyang reporting exports of 6.58 billion yuan (about $916 million) in 2024. Chinese industry estimates place the country’s share of global fireworks exports at roughly 80-90 per cent. The production base in China is large, vertically integrated and export-oriented, with thousands of licensed manufacturers and a broad distribution network. 

Production and market size: India, China, US

 

While India’s fireworks industry remains concentrated in the south with Sivakasi and the Virudhunagar district in Tamil Nadu accounting for the major share of domestic manufacture (industry reporting and local government estimates place the cluster’s annual turnover around ₹6,000 crore and production share figures commonly cited at roughly 70-90 per cent of India’s output), according to data from The Indian Fireworks Manufacturers Association’s (TIFMA). Manufacturing in Sivakasi is fragmented across many small units, with a large informal work force and recurring safety concerns that regulators and industry groups have repeatedly highlighted.

 

China, by contrast, combines large export factories, purpose-built industrial parks, and formalised distribution and export channels which explain why a very large share of consumer and display fireworks sold worldwide originates in China. Global market research firms estimate the global fireworks market between roughly $2.1-2.9 billion for 2024.

 

Meanwhile, the US manufacturing of consumer fireworks is minimal and most products are imported. Industry groups have estimated that over 90 per cent of consumer fireworks sold in the US are manufactured in China. The US market is therefore heavily dependent on imports and shaped by tariff and logistics decisions.

 

What the numbers mean for Delhi 

 

The Supreme Court’s order effectively creates a short, regulated window for certified low-emission crackers in a city that records some of the world’s worst winter air quality. But the policymakers and enforcement agencies are now faced with the difficult task of ensuring that only certified green crackers are sold at licensed outlets and that bursting is confined to the authorised days, time, and places.