In a move aimed to fight air-pollution, the Government has made it mandatory for the existing brick-kilns to convert to the eco-friendly zigzag technology or vertical shaft within next two years. Henceforth, only those new structures will be approved which follow such a technique.

A notification in this regard has been issued by the Union Environment Ministry on February 22, 2022.

Also, as per the notification, new brick kilns have been mandated to use piped natural gas (PNG) as fuel in the brick-making process while the existing one shall use only approved fuel such as coal, fire wood and/or agricultural residues besides PNG. Use of pet coke, tyres, plastic, hazardous waste shall not be allowed in brick kilns, as per the notification which comes into force with immediate effect.

Presently, the majority of brick kilns are using fixed Chimney Bulls Trench Kiln (FCBTK) that emits black soot, causing heavy air pollution. According to experts, the real difference between the FCBTK and the zig-zag technology driven brick kiln is that in the former the placement of bricks is done in a straight pattern, whereas in the latter the bricks are placed in a zig-zag pattern. The zig-zag pattern allows efficient manoeuvre of the air for heating purposes.

As per the rules which will be called the Environment (Protection) Amendment Rules, 2022, brick kilns should be established at a minimum distance of 0.8 kilometre from habitation and fruit orchards. “State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees may make existing criteria stringent considering proximity to habitation, population density, water bodies, sensitive receptors, etc,” said the notification signed by Union Environment Ministry Additional Secretary Naresh Pal Gangawar.

It states that brick kilns should be established at a minimum distance of one kilometre from an existing brick kiln to avoid clustering of kilns in an area and will follow process emission/fugitive dust emission control existing guidelines.

The ash generated in the brick kilns shall be fully utilized in-house in brick making. Also, necessary approvals have to be taken from the concerned authorities  for extracting the soil to be used for brick making.

A research by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), a regional intergovernmental organisation working in the Hindu Kush Himalayas as part of the UN's Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) initiative has found that “there is also a strong business case for converting to zig-zag technology. It reduces coal consumption by 20 per cent, carbon emissions by 40-60pc, produces more A-grade bricks, and brick production can be enhanced as well.”