Brick Sector and Air Quality: An Integrated Assessment towards 2020 Challenge of Environment Development

Abstract

Brick sector is a mainstay of the urban economy of Punjab. The traditional technology of brick making emits a lot of toxic gases and smoke particulates into air. Hence, the Government of the Punjab, Pakistan announced a ban on low technology brick kiln operations during winter season by the end of December 2020. Initially, the existing set up of brick kilns and air pollution levels were evaluated before and during lockdown period using spatial application. Further, environmental parameters such as aerosols, carbon monoxide, ozone, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide were determined to analyze the air quality, including metrological factors. Results of the study exhibited that the upper and central regions of Punjab are the major hubs of brick kilns. So, the level of air quality was inconsistent in the study period due to the existence of large mushrooms of brick kilns. Further, despite lockdown the highest concentration of carbon monoxide was recorded in the eastern side of the province, such as Kasur, Lahore, and Sheikhupura. The level of aerosols also fluctuated and shifted its trends in the central and southern part of the province. While SO2 and CO2 level declined and revealed a satisfactory level of air quality during shutdown. On the other hand, no significant relation to metrological factors, such as rain, is involved in the pollution reduction. Conclusively, the findings of the present study encourage the government agencies to realign the stringent control measures to improve the quality of air in the winter months using the experience of quarantine in 2020.

Air pollution scenario over Pakistan: Characterization and ranking of extremely polluted cities using long-term concentrations of aerosols and trace gases

“…For the top polluted cities, the high SO2 observed during November, December, and January may be attributed to the power plants and brick kilns (Dahiya and Myllyvirta 2019;Rahman et al 2000). Like other anthropogenic sources of SO2 emissions, brick kilns are also considered as the main sources of SO2 and severely bad air quality especially over Punjab (Adrees et al 2016;Colbeck et al 2010;Pervaiz et al 2021;Ur Rehman et al 2019). Therefore, every year during late autumn and winter, the Government of Pakistan bans these kilns to control pollution levels.…”