Islamabad administration converts 49 brick kilns to eco-Friendly zigzag technology

ISLAMBAD: The Islamabad administration has converted forty-nine brick kilns to environmentally-friendly zigzag technology.

Pakistan’s brick sector is the most highly unregulated and non-registered industrial sector in the entire country.

Brick kilns are causing immense pollution by emitting highly toxic fumes into the air. In this regard, the Islamabad administration has taken positive steps to make brick kilns environmentally friendly.

The Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination submitted a report about the steps being taken by the Islamabad administration to make brick kilns environmentally friendly in the Senate of Pakistan.

According to the report, within the jurisdiction of ICT, there are a total of sixty-three brick kilns. Among these, forty-nine have transitioned to environmentally-friendly zigzag technology, while four have been permanently dismantled due to uninstalling zigzag technology. The technology has been mandated to make brick kilns environmentally friendly.

However, the remaining ten brick kilns are currently in the process of conversion out of the initial sixty-three.

According to experts, Zigzag technology reduces smoke emissions by 40 per cent , and a kiln with Zigzag technology emits white smoke, which is less harmful than black smoke.

A report on the environment revealed that black smoke is very polluting and toxic, which is extremely dangerous for the environment and also causes smog, which causes asthma, respiratory diseases, eye infections, and lung diseases in residents.

The report further states that all of these kilns are located in either rural areas or in regions slated for future development by the Capital Development Authority.

Recently, the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency took legal action against six brick kilns, shutting down their operations due to their non-compliance with the installation of environmentally friendly zigzag technology, which was resulting in pollution in the capital city’s environment.

The focus should be on expediting the conversion of the remaining ten kilns to environmentally-friendly zigzag technology, states the report, and further adds that a robust monitoring and enforcement mechanism have been put in place to prevent any backsliding into non-compliance with the National Environmental Quality Standards by the brick kilns.