Cutting heat loss in brick kilns found to significantly mitigate emissions Premium

The main idea behind the interventions was to reduce emissions and air pollution and at the same time, reduce fuel costs while increasing revenue through increased efficiency.

Bangladesh is one of the most polluted countries in the world. According to an IQ Air assessment, the country had the second-worst air quality in 2024 worldwide, with PM2.5 concentration more than 15-times the World Health Organisation’s suggested limit.

Brick kilns are a major contributor to this air pollution crisis. Previous efforts to improve the greenness of the local brick-making industry have resulted in limited success – but if a new study is to be believed, there is room for low-cost interventions to make a difference with these kilns.

The study, published in Science on May 8, was conducted by researchers from the U.S., Bangladesh, and India. They performed a randomised control trial involving 276 kilns in Bangladesh, in the brick-firing season of November to May in 2022-2023.

The experiment had three parts: one control arm and two interventions. One intervention was solely technical and the other included both a technical intervention and incentive information.

The main idea behind the intervention arms of the trial was to reduce emissions, air pollution, and fuel costs while increasing revenue by increasing efficiency. While both arms provided information, training, and technical support on efficient coal feeding and brick-stacking practices, the incentive information arm also guided workers with incentives so that they stuck to their newly learned practices.

For the incentives, the researchers informed the kiln owners on various strategies like bonuses, higher wages, and better working conditions that included meals, housing, and clothing, but left it up to the owners and managers to decide which approach best fits their business.

The team also noted that the interventions were careful to not worsen the workers’ conditions in the industry, given the nature of work here is often precarious and exploitative.