{"id":253941,"date":"2025-05-08T14:05:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T18:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=253941"},"modified":"2025-05-09T13:00:54","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T17:00:54","slug":"researchers-develop-practical-solution-to-reduce-emissions-and-improve-air-quality-from-brick-manufacturing-in-bangladesh","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/articles\/2025\/researchers-develop-practical-solution-to-reduce-emissions-and-improve-air-quality-from-brick-manufacturing-in-bangladesh\/","title":{"rendered":"Researchers Develop Practical Solution to Reduce Emissions and Improve Air Quality from Brick Manufacturing in Bangladesh"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin sphnews-block-editorial-leadin is-style-text-over-image has-media has-media-focus-left-top has-text-position-x-right\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"1280\" height=\"960\" src=\"\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-3.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-3.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-3-636x477.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-3-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-3-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-3-755x566.jpg 755w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-3-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-3-1200x900.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1280px) 100vw, 1280px\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin-caption wp-prepress-component-caption\">In Bangladesh, most brick manufacturing takes place in informal, traditional coal-fired kilns, which are among the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Here, brick kiln workers crush coal that will be used as fuel in the brick-making process. Photo credit: Sushanta Kumar Paul.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-prepress-tag\">health inequities<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Researchers Develop Practical Solution to Reduce Emissions and Improve Air Quality from Brick Manufacturing in Bangladesh<\/strong>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"deck\">A new study found that brick kiln owners were willing to implement energy-efficient operational changes after receiving training and support. The social benefits of reduced carbon emissions from these changes outweighed costs by a factor of 65 to 1.<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar sphnews-prepress-layout-metabar\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">May 8, 2025<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/authors\/jillian-mckoy\/\">Jillian McKoy<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<p>Brick manufacturing is a central component of the economy in South Asia, but also a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ccacoalition.org\/news\/reducing-air-pollution-and-climate-change-brick-brick\">major source<\/a> of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, as the practice releases carbon dioxide (CO\u2082), fine particulate matter (PM<sub>2.5<\/sub>), and other contaminants into the environment. This coal-powered industry poses a serious threat to human health, agriculture, and the environment in low- and middle-income countries that lack the capacity to monitor and regulate these largely informal operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As scientists continue to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/news\/articles\/2025\/top-scientists-issue-urgent-warning-on-fossil-fuels\/\">sound the alarm<\/a> on the increasing dangers of fossil fuels, a new study by researchers at the School of Public Health, Stanford University, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.icddrb.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">icddr,b<\/a>, Greentech Knowledge Solutions, and the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology has introduced an evidence-based strategy proven to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions in the brick manufacturing industry by encouraging operational changes that prioritize practicality and profit.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.science.org\/doi\/10.1126\/science.adr7394\" target=\"_blank\">Published in the journal <em>Science<\/em><\/a>, the study analyzes the results of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that showed that brick kiln owners in Bangladesh are willing and able to implement cleaner and more efficient business practices within their operations\u2014without legal enforcement\u2014if they receive the proper training and support, and if those changes are aligned with their profit motives. The study is the first to rigorously demonstrate successful strategies to improve efficiency within the traditional brick kiln industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The RCT evaluated an intervention that provided educational resources, training, and technical support to kiln owners in Bangladesh during the 2022-2023 brick kiln season with 276 brick kilns. The intervention aimed to motivate the owners to make energy-efficient adjustments to their manufacturing process, such as streamlining brick stacking and using powered biomass fuel, both of which improve complete fuel combustion and reduce&nbsp; heat loss in the kilns.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1-1024x577.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-254125\" width=\"660\" height=\"371\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1-1024x577.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1-636x358.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1-768x433.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1-1536x866.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1-1200x676.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1-992x558.jpg 992w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1-1500x844.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1-755x426.jpg 755w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1-1628x918.jpg 1628w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1-1600x900.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1-1366x768.jpg 1366w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1-1280x720.jpg 1280w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1-854x480.jpg 854w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1-900x507.jpg 900w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Coal-Crushing-2-2-1.jpg 1675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 660px) 100vw, 660px\" \/><figcaption>Brick kiln workers in Bangladesh load coal that will be used to fire the kilns. A new SPH-led study suggests that operational changes to the brick kiln process can be made to improve fuel combustion and reduce heat loss in the kilns. Photo credit: Sushanta Kumar Paul.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The study found that 65 percent of the brick kiln owners adopted these changes, which led to a&nbsp; 23-percent reduction in energy use. The changes substantially improved air quality, contributing to 20-percent reductions in CO\u2082 and PM<sub>2.5<\/sub> emissions. This intervention also brought substantial savings in coal expenditures and higher-quality bricks. Notably, the researchers estimated that the social benefits due CO<sub>2<\/sub> reductions from the intervention outweighed costs by a factor of 65 to 1 and that the CO2 reductions were achieved at the low cost of $2.85\/ton. When the team returned to participating brick kilns the next year, they found adoption of the improved practices had not only sustained but increased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBrick manufacturing is central to development, urbanization, and construction in Bangladesh and across South Asia, but the industry has not experienced much innovation, leaving open the possibility for win-win solutions that target low efficiency,\u201d says study lead and corresponding author <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/profile\/nina-brooks\/\">Nina Brooks<\/a>, assistant professor of global health. \u201cOur findings demonstrate that brick kiln owners are willing to embrace simple changes that protect human and environmental health when they have the knowledge and training, and those changes deliver tangible economic gain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These findings are promising, as previous efforts to regulate the brick kiln industry have been unsuccessful in Bangladesh, where workers produce <a href=\"https:\/\/lubylab.stanford.edu\/automatic-coal-feeder#:~:text=In%20Bangladesh%20~7%2C000%20brick%20kilns,of%20total%20annual%20CO2%20emissions.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">27 billion bricks<\/a> annually in harsh working conditions. This industry <a href=\"https:\/\/documents.worldbank.org\/en\/publication\/documents-reports\/documentdetail\/685751588227715919\/dirty-stacks-high-stakes-an-overview-of-brick-sector-in-south-asia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">accounts<\/a> for 17 percent of CO\u2082 emissions and 11 percent of PM<sub>2.5&nbsp; <\/sub>emissions each year. Existing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ccacoalition.org\/sites\/default\/files\/resources\/2017_strategy-brick-production-bangladesh.pdf\">regulations<\/a>, such as fuel mandates that ban the use of firewood, or laws that require brick kilns to be distanced from schools, health facilities, and other establishments, are only <a href=\"https:\/\/en.prothomalo.com\/opinion\/op-ed\/itmof9e659\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">minimally enforced<\/a>; for example, the majority of brick kilns in Bangladesh are located illegally near <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/full\/10.1073\/pnas.2018863118\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">schools<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a 2024 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S2214629624003293\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pilot study<\/a> for this intervention, the researchers learned that zigzag brick kiln owners were unaware of proper zizgag kiln operation\u2014which are already <a href=\"https:\/\/india.mongabay.com\/2024\/08\/brick-kilns-embrace-zigzag-design-to-cut-pollution-and-boost-efficiency\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">designed<\/a> to be less polluting\u2014or that these approaches could increase their profit. The owners were also skeptical to implement the intervention, for fear that the changes were too technologically advanced for their workers. Although the study included an experimental arm that explained the business case for incentivizing workers to adopt the new practices, these were not widely taken up. An important area for future research is identifying strategies to improve work conditions that are aligned with kiln owners\u2019 profit motives and may be implemented within a weak regulatory state.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cFrom what I\u2019ve seen in brick kilns, the people working there really make all the difference,&#8221; says study coauthor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.icddrb.org\/people\/20240702-mr-debashish-biswas\">Debashish Biswas<\/a>, assistant scientist at icddr,b in Dhaka, Bangladesh. &#8220;It\u2019s not just about the technology or the strategies\u2014if the workers aren\u2019t taken care of, things just don\u2019t run smoothly. I think there is a real opportunity to find ways where looking after workers actually helps the business, too, even if the rules aren\u2019t always enforced. Owners and workers both stand to gain if we can figure that out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Overhead-Photo-3-1024x576.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-254130\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Overhead-Photo-3-1024x576.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Overhead-Photo-3-636x358.jpeg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Overhead-Photo-3-768x432.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Overhead-Photo-3-1200x675.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Overhead-Photo-3-992x558.jpeg 992w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Overhead-Photo-3-755x425.jpeg 755w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Overhead-Photo-3.jpeg 1280w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Overhead-Photo-3-854x480.jpeg 854w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/files\/2025\/05\/Brick-Kiln-Overhead-Photo-3-900x506.jpeg 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Pictured is an overhead view of brick kilns in Bangladesh. An SPH-led study suggests that energy-efficient and health-protective improvements to brick manufacturing can be implemented in Bangladesh, and potentially in other parts of South Asia where brickmaking is common. Photo credit: Sushanta Kumar Paul.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When assessing the economic burden of the intervention, the researchers found that the social benefits outweighed the costs 65 to 1 by using the social cost of carbon of $185 per metric ton to value the CO<sub>2<\/sub> reductions. If all zigzag kiln owners in Bangladesh adopted these changes, the team estimated that CO\u2082 levels could plummet by 2.4 metric tons in just one brick firing season, which would result in a two-percent reduction of the country\u2019s annual CO\u2082 emissions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBrick kilns and other informal industries need not always look outside for finding solutions to improve their environmental performance,&#8221; says study coauthor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/sameer-maithel-4b2a5aa\/\">Sameer Maithel<\/a>, an advisor at Greentech Knowledge Solutions in New Delhi, India. &#8220;The energy-efficient operating practices introduced in this study were identified working in close partnership with progressive brickmakers in South Asia. There are several such innovations being practiced in the field.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is an urgent need to put in place a system to identify these innovations and scale them, Dr. Maithel says. The researchers\u2019 energy-efficient intervention may be scalable across South Asia, such as in India and Nepal, where brick manufacturing practices are similar\u2014and possibly across other industries. Future research will consider how to best scale the intervention, as well as develop the next generation of efficiency improvements for the brick industry.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The remarkable success of the intervention demonstrates the benefit of deep engagement with local stakeholders,&#8221; says co-senior author <a href=\"https:\/\/profiles.stanford.edu\/stephen-luby\">Stephen Luby<\/a>, Lucy Becker Professor of Medicine and senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hear more from Brooks and Luby about these new findings&nbsp;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/woods.stanford.edu\/news\/qa-cleaning-brick-kiln-pollution-without-legally-enforced-regulations-0\" target=\"_blank\">in this Q&amp;A<\/a>&nbsp;by the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Brick manufacturing is a central component of the economy in South Asia, but also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, as the practice releases carbon dioxide (CO\u2082), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and other contaminants into the environment. This coal-powered industry poses a serious threat to human health, agriculture, and the environment [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15205,"featured_media":254135,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"bu_prepress_billboard":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term_manual":""},"tags":[2142,1538,4807,3889,2366,2261,4032,3162,2265,2178],"bu-publication":[3516],"sphnews-article-category":[3519,3531,3532,3540],"sphnews-topic":[],"bu_edition":[],"media_type":[],"profile_tax":[4387],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/253941"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bu-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15205"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=253941"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/253941\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":254187,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/253941\/revisions\/254187"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/254135"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=253941"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=253941"},{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=253941"},{"taxonomy":"sphnews-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sphnews-article-category?post=253941"},{"taxonomy":"sphnews-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/sphnews-topic?post=253941"},{"taxonomy":"bu_edition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu_edition?post=253941"},{"taxonomy":"media_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_type?post=253941"},{"taxonomy":"profile_tax","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/sph\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/profile_tax?post=253941"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}