ISLAMABAD: The ambitious move to employ environmentally friendly zigzag technology in brick kilns across the country has been facing a setback due to the rampant use of substandard fuel sources, according to sources within the Ministry of Climate Change.

A senior official, requesting anonymity, revealed that while zigzag technology had proven efficient for local brick kilns, the government now needed to shift its focus to standardising fuel sources. The official highlighted that brick kiln owners were resorting to burning a variety of waste materials, including old tyres, dirty used oils from refineries, agricultural residue, coal, used clothes, garbage, etc.

“Despite the adoption of zigzag technology ensuring complete combustion and reducing hazardous black smoke emissions, concerns linger about the effectiveness of the overall air quality improvement,” the official remarked.

Expressing doubt, the official questioned whether the Ministry of Climate Change had conducted comprehensive air quality tests before and after implementing zigzag technology. “How can the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) claim the complete efficiency of zigzag technology without concrete evidence?” he challenged.

Furthermore, the official accused brick kiln owners of circumventing the system by installing less expensive mechanisms like blowers to disperse smoke composed of black soot or particulate matter.

Highlighting the need for public awareness, the official emphasised the differences in the qualities of finished bricks. “Builders often prefer fine-quality bricks made from burning tyres, which, despite their aesthetic appeal, are weaker. On the other hand, bricks made from burning coal may appear crude but boast greater strength,” he explained.

Drawing attention to the concerning trend, the official revealed that bricks made from burning tyres were flooding in from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) due to high demand. The lack of distinction between the two types of bricks posed a challenge for consumers, underscoring the need for authorities to intervene and ensure the availability of quality products that were environmentally sustainable.

“Banning the entry of trucks carrying bricks from KP and Punjab is essential to curtail environmental degradation caused by brick kilns in the periphery of Islamabad,” the official lamented.

Despite recent claims by the Ministry of Climate Change that 49 out of 63 conventional brick kilns in the federal capital territory had transitioned to zigzag technology, concerns persist as relevant departments have yet to address the issue of regulating the standard of fuel sources used in kilns. The Director General Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) did not respond to the call when contacted.

Published in Dawn, January 21st, 2024