in bangladesh, new eco-friendly kiln to lower air pollution

UNDP points out that nearly 90% of bricks made in Bangladesh, are made in old kilns which are also a large part of the reason why Himalayan glaciers are melting.

Using these new kilns, for every 15 million bricks made, emissions can be reduced by 5,000 tons a year. The reason for the reduction, UNDP explains:

The secret to the Hybrid Hoffman Kiln’s success is its ability to completely burn most of the fuel that is mixed into the bricks during firing, and thereby drastically reduce energy use and production costs. It also dries the bricks by directing hot air into the tunnel from the annular kiln, which blocks greenhouse gas emission.

Considering the fact that nearly 7.75 billion bricks are produced, a numer which is increasing by more than 5% every year, and the greenhouse gases produced by this amounts to 6million tonnes annually, it’s important for the Bangladeshis to start using the new kilns.  A definite must-have innovation which needs to be replicated elsewhere in South-East Asia.

Photograph by Melanie Ko