STAFF REPORT ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) has asked the brick kiln owners to install ‘zig-zag’ technology in order to reduce the environmental pollution.
“We would not spare any one who defies the court’s orders,” Assadullah Faiz, Director-General, Pak-EPA, told the media while giving details of the Agency’s meeting with brick kilns representatives.
He said that under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the environmental body, the capital city would be made pollution free. However, the Agency would not withdraw cases registered against brick kiln owners for rules violations.
About the adoption of zig-zag technology, which will help reduce pollution, he said that the owners will also be able to sell their carbon credits to foreign investors and earn foreign exchange.
The Pak-EPA chief said that the Environment Ministry is in the process of initiating a pilot project for availing carbon credits facility in the country to bring foreign investors and latest technologies in order to reduce carbon levels.
“Brick Kiln Association is keen to switch over to the new technology once it is successfully demonstrated for operation in Pakistan,” Minister of Environment Samina Khalid Ghurki has recently informed the National Assembly session.
ISLAMABAD: Most brick kilns within a radius of 12 to 20 kilometres (km) of Benazir Bhutto International Airport are still not using smoke control devices. This is in violation of orders issued by Punjab Environmental Tribunal (PET) a few weeks ago.
ReplyDeletePET had directed any brick kiln falling within 12 km of the airport to be removed within three months. Moreover, it had asked brick kilns outside the 12 km radius but within 20 km of the airport to install smoke control devices to reduce the smoke being emitted. This was meant to improve visibility around the airport so that airplanes could take-off and land easily.
Brick kiln owners had said that they did not have a cost-effective emission control solution. Furthermore, the devices available in the market were incompatible with the kilns operating in Pakistan.
In response, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) Islamabad developed a smoke-control device that has a much lower installation and operating cost, according to Sajid Mahmood, Chemist Air at Pak-EPA Islamabad.
The device, designed by Mahmood himself, was made specifically for brick kilns. But he said the brick kiln owners were not interested in implementing PET’s orders. He said there was a dire need to educate them to obey the tribunal orders.
“There are 72 brick kilns working within the vicinity of Islamabad Capital Territory,” he said. Twelve of these are located near Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad.
He said that the device had been approved by PET and is cost-effective and environment-friendly. Moreover, it has been specifically designed for brick kilns in Pakistan without disturbing their natural mechanism.
The device installs on the mouth of the stack. The water in the device absorbs particles and gases in the smoke and reduces the amount of smoke emitted by 50 to 60 per cent, said Mahmood.
He added that his device was superior to other alternatives such as skid-mounted wet scrubber. The scrubber showers water onto the smoke and a single shower consumes approximately 11 gallons per minute. The total water circulation in the brick kiln is 680 gallons per minute. In comparison Pak-EPA’s proposed device consumes just 16 gallons of water in 24 hours. He added that the water needs to be changed every two to three days, which is significantly less than the alternatives.