New Study Offers Clean Solution for Brick Kiln Emissions

An aerial view of traditional brick kilns operating in Bangladesh, a major source of carbon and particulate emissions in South Asia.

As global concerns over fossil fuel pollution intensify, a new international study has introduced a practical, cost-effective strategy to significantly reduce emissions from the brick manufacturing industry—one of South Asia’s largest sources of air pollution.

Researchers from Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH), Stanford University, icddr,b, Greentech Knowledge Solutions, and the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) collaborated on the study, which found that energy-efficient operational changes in brick kilns can cut emissions and enhance air quality, while also increasing profits for kiln owners.

The findings, published in the journal Science, are based on a randomized controlled trial conducted across 276 brick kilns in Bangladesh during the 2022–2023 season. The intervention included training, educational resources, and technical support to encourage changes such as improved brick stacking and the use of powered biomass fuel to ensure better fuel combustion and lower heat loss.

As a result, 65% of kiln owners adopted the new practices, leading to a 23% reduction in energy use and 20% cuts in carbon dioxide (CO₂) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5)—a major contributor to air pollution.

The study estimated that the social benefits of reduced CO₂ emissions outweighed the intervention’s cost by a factor of 65 to 1, with the emission reduction achieved at a cost of only $2.85 per ton of CO₂. Encouragingly, the adoption of cleaner practices not only continued but increased in the following season.

“Our findings show that kiln owners are willing to adopt changes that benefit both health and business—if they receive the right knowledge and support,” said lead author Dr. Nina Brooks, assistant professor of global health at BUSPH.

Brick kilns are a major polluter in Bangladesh, contributing 17% of national CO₂ emissions and 11% of PM2.5 pollution annually. Despite existing regulations, such as fuel bans and distance requirements from schools and health facilities, enforcement remains weak. Most kilns still operate illegally near sensitive areas.

Mr. Debashish Biswas, assistant scientist at icddr,b and study co-author, stressed the importance of worker welfare. “It’s not just the technology—people make the difference. Supporting workers can help kilns run better and more sustainably.”

Dr. Sameer Maithel, an advisor at Greentech Knowledge Solutions in India, added that the intervention was rooted in local expertise. “These practices were developed with progressive brickmakers in South Asia. There are many innovations already in use that need to be identified and scaled.”

The research team believes the model could be expanded to other countries like India and Nepal, and potentially adapted to other informal, high-emission industries. Future studies will explore how to scale these practices across regions.

Co-senior author Dr. Stephen Luby of Stanford University concluded: “The success of this intervention proves the value of working closely with local stakeholders. Practical solutions are possible when communities are truly involved.”