Indian brick industry energy consumption and pollution control.
Indian brick industry with an estimated coal consumption of 15 -20 million tons per year, is the third largest consumer of coal in the country after power plants and steel industry. Burning of coal results in the release of several air pollutants in atmosphere such as, carbon dioxide (CO2) , carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2 ), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter. At local level (in the vicinity of a brick kiln) some of these pollutants are injurious to human health, animal and plant life. At global level, pollutants like CO2 contributes to the phenomena of global warming and climate change.
With growing environmental consciousness at all levels of society, the pollution caused by the brick industry is coming under close scrutiny from environmentalists and the government. Government of India took first step towards controlling pollution from brick kilns with the notification of emission standards for brick kilns in April 1996 (emission standards are presented in annexure 1).
Pollution control and energy conservation are interrelated –the key to controlling combustion related pollution in brick industry lies in increasing the efficiency of fuel use in brick kilns. The combination of energy saving and reduction in pollution is a win-win situation, in which industry benefits because of savings in energy costs and better working conditions; and the country and society gains due to reduction in pollution as well as savings of precious natural resource in the form of fuel.