This document summarizes a case study on the environmental impacts of brickfields in Hathazari Upazila, Chittagong, Bangladesh. The study found that brickfield construction and operations negatively impact water quality, air quality, land use, wildlife, fisheries, and agriculture. Operations release pollutants like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide. Exposure is linked to respiratory illness in humans. Mitigation strategies proposed include introducing more efficient and less polluting brick kiln technologies, improving fuel efficiency, and encouraging alternative building materials. Government involvement is needed to address the environmental issues caused by brick production while supporting the important industry.

1. EIA Case Study on brickfields and
their impacts on environment, in
Hathazari upazila,Chittagong
Department of Fisheries
University of Chittagong, Chittagong-4331

2. REPORT CONTENT
1.Introduction
-Objective of the study
2. Materials and Methods
- Case study area
-Methodologies taken into account for this study
- Procedure chart
- Categorization of impact
3 .Results
- Impact during construction
- Impact during the operation
- Mitigation way
- Matrix tools for case study
4. Limitation of the case study
5. Conclusion

3. INTRODUCTION

4. Bricks- are building material,
mostly made of clay.
Bangladesh – 4th largest
brick producer in the world.
Scattered all over the country.
Made
Dried
Fired
Cooled

5. Brick kiln, traditional and
modern.
Use coal and wood to burn.
Fly ash brick vs Red brick

6. SECTOR OVERVIEW (BANGLADESH)
• Sector investment (2017 & 2019):
= BDT 47.96 billion (USD 575.5 million)10
• Value of sales (2017):
= BDT 210.82 billion (USD 2.53 billion)
• GDP contribution:
= 1 %
• Coal consumption for firing bricks per
annum:
• 5.68 million tonnes (2017)
• 3.65 million tonnes (2019)

7. SECTOR OVERVIEW (BANGLADESH)
Annual coal expenses:
=BDT 70 billion15 (USD 840 million)16
=BDT 45.6 billion17 (USD 547.26 million)18
Estimated consumption of other fuels (natural gas, sawdust, bagasse, rice husk, firewood)
and annual expenses:
=1.9 million tonnes of wood worth BDT 19 billion19 (228.01 million USD)20 Natural
gas – Not available
Annual clay consumption
=3350 million cubic feet
Annual CO2 emission
=15.67 million tonnes
Annual brick demand (2017)
=Estimated growth of 2–3 percent annually for the next ten years

8. Objectives
1.To identify the impact on the
environments.
2.To know the causes of the
impact.
3.Try to find the mitigating
measure of the identifying
problems.

10. Case study area:
The case study was performed in the area of Hathazari Upazilla, covering the Chittagong
university sluice gate area and 2 no gate. The area occupies agriculture, numerous trees,
riverside markets and residential areas directly facing problem from brick field.

11. QUESTIONNAIRE
Interviewing Local people for delaminating major activities time
frame near Hathazari brick fields by following Questionnaire
1.How many water used for everyday brick production and what is the source of water?
Pond/Halda river/Pump
2.What are the material used for everyday brick production
A) Soil,
B) Fly ash,
C) sand,
D) cement,
E) others

12. 3) Sources of sand and soil…
A) Halda river
B) Pond
4)Which materials are burning in the bricks?
A) Coal,
B) wood,
C) paper,
D) saw dust,
E) Others

13. QUESTIONNAIRE
4. Do you face any health problem because of
working in brick field?
A)Skin diseases,
B) Eye irritation,
C) Respiratory problem
D) Others,
E) No problem
5. Any comment about the brick field?

14. •DIRECT OBSERVATIONS
On sight observation !

15. •Secondary Data

17. Procedure chart

18. Results

19. 2 PHASES
Impacts during
constructions
1] Losses of healthy vegetation land and forest,
agriculture land.
2] Dumping of organic and inorganic matter to the
surrounding environment.
3] Reduce the soil stability
4] Disturbing to the ecological balance.

20. IMPACTS DURING OPERATIONS
Impacts on water:
 Increase dissolved solid and suspended solid in the
water
Destroying Aquatic ecosystem to the nearby Halda river
and Pond water
Reducing productivity
As a source of sulphur dumping,it also work as a agent
of phytoplankton bloom
Decrease dissolve oxygen

21. Impacts on Soil:
Increase organic matter specially PM(particulate organic matter)
work as a agent of increasing soil pH.
Limiting nutrient.


22. •  Impacts on Air:
• Increase Sulphur dioxide (SO2)
• Increase nitrogen dioxide (NO2)
• Increases carbon mono-oxide(CO)
• Increase carbon-di-oxide (CO2)
• Release harmful sulfuric gas (H2SO4)

23. Impacts on plants:
Reduce photosynthesis
Reduce plant growth
Crop loss

24.  Impacts on Humans:
At high concentration of PM causes respiratory problem to human
Hearing problem
“All above impacts can come to term that ,Brick fields are undoubtedly working as a
agent of Increasing temperature and green house effects in the near Hathhazari
upazila areas and also alarming for human inhabitance !”

25. Categories of possible impact by Brick Field:
Possible Impact=Vertical axis
Project Activities=Horizontal Axis
Impact:
Low/No: ( )
Moderate: °
High: ×
Positive: √
Estimating Matrix tools for Case study:

26. Matrix tools for estimating possible impact of crucial
activities near Brick filed
Project Activities
Impacts Plant
Construc
tion
Transpor
tation
Raw
material
s
Water
intake
Road
constructio
n
Solid
waste
Emissio
n
Environ
mental
Water quality ° × ×
Air quality × ° × ° ×
Land use pattern × × ×
Biologic
al
Wildlife × ×
Fisheries ×
Agriculture × °
Socio-
Economic
Housing °
Employment √ √
Health ° ° × ×

27. MITIGATION WAY:
Considering the positive role of Brick field in national economy brick field can not
be stopped . Following steps may be taken for sustainable practice of Brick field
activities in Hathazari area,Chittagong .

28. MITIGATION WAY:
• Introducing eco-friendly brick field which are capable of producing less pollutants to the
surrounding environment and use less fuel energy.

29. MITIGATION WAY:
• Stack fuel around bricks to facilitate pre-heating (solid fuel mixed the bricks throughout
the kiln)
• Improve brick drying before firing (extending drying time reduce fuel requirements)
• Improve airflow control (stopping air leaks allows better control of airflow speed and
improve combustion)
• Switch to natural gas fuel which are significantly less emission and increase production
quality.

30. MITIGATION WAY:
• Government and NGO’s involvement in environmental issues
• Making local people concerned about Brick field adverse effect.
• New brick field design
-Conventional technology could be upgraded by adding limestone that reduce SO2 emissions.
-To supplement chimney
-Alternative building materials such as straw bales, block bricks, cement blocks which are able to
reduce the ceramic bricks
-And some other modern eco friendly ways …..!

31. LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
• Can not cover all the Brick fields of Hathazari upazillas.
• All the parameters in the matrix tools are not being assessed.
• Lack in air pollution Parameter evaluation tools and equipment’s.
• All air quality parameters are not estimated .
• Financial supports.
• Adequate methodologies facility limitation.
• Proper seasonal change evaluation.

32. Conclusion
Brick making is an energy-extensive process. It should emphasize the
need for energy conservation and pollution control in the brick
industry of Hathazari upazila. However, we come to term that existing
technologies are not energy efficient and ecofriendly ,on the other
hand new technologies are not popular in Hathazari and costly in
initial investment. So, government and environmental policy makers
of the Hathazari upazila should come forward to solve the issues
related the brick industries.

33. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE