For effective conversion of polluting brick kilns

Department of Environment intends to transform the existing technologically inefficient and highly polluting brick kilns to 'energy efficient and modern' brick kilns within June 30, 2014. Such a target is not announced for the first time and the previous deadlines were revised. A lot of brick kiln owners expect the latest time line will be revised once more for the simple reason that major parts of the existing brick kilns still operate with old and inefficient technology. And their conversion is both time and cost consuming.
 Media report suggests that about 30 per cent of the existing registered kilns adopted the comparatively less polluting 'zigzag kilns' so far. It is interesting to note that the Department of Environment does not have definite information about the total number of the brick kilns in operation in the country. As per the existing regulations brick kilns must obtain 'environmental clearance' prior to starting operation. Various sources publish data on the existing operational brick kilns numbers in the country. UNDP, for instance, anticipates approximately 8,000 brick kilns in operation in Bangladesh. Other sources indicate the number between 5,000 and 8,000. Local government offices issue licenses/permits for operating the brick kilns. Unfortunately, initiatives taken so far failed to confirm a nearly correct number of kilns. It is no secret that there are several brick kilns operating in the country without proper permissions from the appropriate departments of the government.
Brick making industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in the country which has an estimated annual production of around 8 billion units of bricks. It is one of the largest sources of emission of green house gases, mainly CO2, responsible for global warming, toxic SO2 and dust in the air. In absence of natural sources of construction stones, bricks produced from clay become the major construction material in the country. And the seasonal brick kilns have been producing most of the bricks during November-May period. The seasonal brick kilns are mostly manually operated and are placed in the low lands either in possession of the kiln owner or rented on temporary basis.
Now-a-days, 'modern' brick industries with large production capacities suitable for round the year operation are slowly replacing the age old brick kilns. But the modern kilns (Hoffman kilns, Hybrid Hoffman kilns, Tunnel kilns, Vertical shaft kilns) are capital intensive and require suitable high lands with auxiliary facilities. These modern brick kilns are no more kilns for brick burning rather permanent industries with highly productive machines, and trained workers working under permanent roofs of the industry. Obviously, such modern brick industries concentrate near the major cities and growth centres. But the conventional seasonal brick kilns like Bull Trench Kilns (BTK) and Fixed Chimney Kilns (FCK) still remain the major brick manufacturers. These are the key sources of air pollution in the cities and towns and localities posing threat to human health, agricultural land, forest and hills. There is another type of kiln which is slightly modified from FCK kilns but relatively better efficient in terms of heat use and reducing dust in the air.
The revised Brick Making and Kiln Establishment (Control) Act, 2013 passed in Parliament in November 2013 prohibits setting up of brick kilns within three kilometers of residential, protected, commercial, forest, sanctuary, wetland, agricultural and ecologically critical areas (ECAs). Establishment of kilns in the prohibited areas is a criminal offence.
Following the amendment of brick kiln establishment regulation, many kiln owners rush to convert their old and inefficient kilns to so called 'zigzag kilns' involving considerable investment. There are dearh of skilled workforce to build zigzag kilns (suitable to operate at low dry lands) within a short period of time. Also, brick kiln owners are unsure if the Department of Environment will allow them to operate for long the zigzag kilns.
The brick manufacturers employ approximately 1.6 million workers, mostly unskilled, in brick making. Dependence on locally produced bricks can not be reduced immediately as construction works, road works need huge quantities of bricks annually. Therefore, by threatening with strict regulations alone can hardly yield the desired transformation of the age-old brick making technology. To facilitate the transformation process, the entrepreneurs should be provided with financial and technological assistance to convert their polluting kilns into clean and energy efficient ones. Government may offer some incentive packages to encourage the entrepreneurs who efficiently operate environment friendly brick kilns. At the same time, effective control should be established over the violating brick kiln operators in prohibited areas.
The author is a mining engineer and writes on energy and environment issues.             mushfiq41@yahoo.com