KARACHI:
Brick kilns significantly contribute to air pollution. A case in point is the air quality index of Punjab’s Pattoki town (224) which is where a lot of brick manufacturing factories are located. The poor air quality is extremely unhealthy and hazardous for people and can cause grave health issues such as difficulty in breathing, eye infection, etc. Brick kilns emit soot and produce other toxic chemicals, which are then released into the air to pollute the environment. Coal is a major source of fuel for brick kilns and emits sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, lead and cadmium. Brick kilns produce large amounts of particulate matter that leads to air pollution. According to researchers, these toxic chemicals are among the major contributors to global warming which is behind major climate events of late. Also, the presence of nitrogen oxide in the air results in lung and skin infections.
There is a need to raise awareness of new cost-effective and scalable kiln technologies to improve the brick production process. According to a study by an air pollution research group, brick kilns are responsible for 2.3% of all particulate matter. The government should ban brick kilns that are using old methods or at least get them to halt their work during the winter season in order to ensure healthy air for people. Considering that the brick kiln industry contributes approximately 1.5% to Pakistan’s gross domestic product, the government should work with the industry for finding alternative, environment-friendly and cost-effective means of manufacturing.
Hamza Yousaf
Pattoki
Published in The Express Tribune, December 17th, 2021.
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