IMPACT OF BRICK KILNING ON THE ENVIRONMENT: A STUDY ON KHULNA REGION OF BANGLADESH

Abstract

This study identifies the patterns of energy consumption in brickfields as well as their impacts on the environment. An attempt has been made to estimate the emission of pollutants from brickfields to assess the impacts of the pollutants on human health. Finally, an attempt has been made to find out a solution to sink the CO₂ emitted by brickfields. Brickfields use coal, wood fuel, and crude oil mainly for burning bricks. Estimation reveals that in Khulna Region (KR) for the years 2003-2004, the coal requirement was 162 kton while the wood fuel required was 133 kton. Estimation also reveals that for KR the annual emission of the pollutants are about 738608 tons CO₂, 94 tons of CH₄, 13 tons of Nitrous Oxide (N₂O), 1989 tons of NO_x, 4264 tons of CO, 168 tons of Non-Methane Volatile Organic Carbon (NMVOC) and 15942 tons of SO₂. Estimation also shows that, for the present level of CO₂ emission in Bangladesh, annual afforestation requirement is about 1.4 x 10⁹ m². The predicted concentration at 200 m downwind of brickfields is 3000 μg/m³ for SO₂ and 300 μg/m³ for NO_x and PM-10 during winter, while for summer the concentration is 1000 μg/m³ and 125 μg/m³ respectively. From the high concentration of these pollutants people face some health problems. About 30% of the brickfield workers suffer from dizziness while 60% feel fatigue and 75% suffer from headache. Those working for many years feel fatigue more than the new comers, 55% and 3% respectively.