The polluted air hazard

very morning, thick black smoke rises from dozens of brick kilns around the NICVD Hospital, the DHO's office, and Dialysis Centre in Umerkot, then spreads across the entire city. From a distance one can see how thousands of workers, nearby families, children walking to school and travellers passing these roads are exposed to serious health risks. The bricks baked at these kilns are also leaving behind a dangerous legacy. To cut fuel costs, many brick kilns burn discarded clothes, plastic waste, rubber and other hazardous materials in their furnaces, creating a public health crisis. In Umerkot, it seems, no one cares. A man living near a kiln shared during a community discussion, 'The smoke never stops. Our children cough throughout the night. Many people now find it difficult to breathe. This is a question of public health, environmental justice and people's rights.' Behind the suffocating smoke lie small, vulnerable hands. Hundreds of children, denied access to education, spend their childhoods carrying heavy loads of clay and unburnt bricks under extreme temperatures. Instead of holding pencils, these young workers endure extreme physical exhaustion, face lifelong spinal injuries and breathe toxic fumes. Informal accounts suggest that child labour numbers at kiln sites far exceed official estimates. Deprived of their basic rights, children help their families burn discarded plastic, rubber and synthetic waste. This daily exposure to thick black smoke causes severe - potentially irreparable - respiratory damage and may lead to serious long-term developmental disorders. Children who live at brick kilns need special care. Positives Rehman Palli from SPARC-Umerkot arranged a mango party for the children and organised a day-long meeting to enquire about their concerns and issues. Recent community consultations and field interviews conducted by the National Lobbying Delegation with brick kiln owners, workers and government stakeholders revealed that while kiln owners are not fully sensitised to environmental concerns and other equally important issues, they focus primarily on their earnings and do little to address the impact on others. The communities are paying a far greater price in deteriorating health and unsafe living conditions. Workers have reported respiratory illnesses, skin diseases, unsafe drinking water, a lack of protective equipment and injuries linked to the burning of plastic and waste. Several respondents described piece-rate wages, unsafe fuel practices and the absence of health facilities at kiln sites. The situation is even more alarming in Umerkot, where approximately 68 brick kilns operate around populated areas. Children, women carrying water, donkey-cart drivers transporting clay, farmers, shopkeepers and school-going students all inhale the same polluted air. Medical research worldwide has consistently shown that burning plastic and synthetic waste releases dangerous pollutants, including dioxins, furans, heavy metals, particulate matter (PM2.5) and toxic gases. These pollutants penetrate deep into the lungs, increasing the risk of asthma, chronic bronchitis, cardiovascular diseases, cancers and developmental disorders among children. These illnesses develop slowly. A child repeatedly exposed to toxic smoke today may suffer lifelong respiratory complications. Women working around kilns carry an additional burden. Besides long working hours under extreme heat, many continue to fulfil their household responsibilities while living in temporary settlements with poor sanitation and unsafe drinking water. Reports indicate widespread malnutrition, inadequate maternal healthcare and limited educational opportunities for children living at kiln sites. Many kiln owners claim that they are under immense financial pressure. Rising fuel prices, water shortages, declining brick prices and increasing production costs leave little room for profit. Several owners interviewed acknowledged that water scarcity directly reduces production while maintaining that investment returns remain low despite high output. Their concerns deserve attention and action. However, the economic hardship of workers and owners cannot justify practices that endanger public health. The cost saved by burning waste is ultimately transferred to society through higher healthcare expenses, lost productivity, damaged ecosystems and a reduced quality of life. 'The smoke never stops. Our children cough throughout the night. Many people now find it difficult to breathe. It is a question of public health, environmental justice and people's rights. ' India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Vietnam and China have introduced Zigzag brick kiln technology, which significantly improves combustion efficiency while reducing coal consumption and lowering emissions. Many jurisdictions have prohibited the burning of plastic, textiles and hazardous waste as kiln fuel. In Nepal, the widespread conversion to Zigzag kilns has demonstrated substantial reductions in particulate pollution while improving fuel efficiency and brick quality. Similar transitions in northern India have shown that cleaner technologies can protect both public health and business profitability when supported through financing, technical assistance and effective regulation. A recent survey by the National Lobbying Delegation across brick kilns in five districts of Sindh—Umerkot, Thatta, Badin, Tando Allahyar and Tando Muhammad Khan—revealed alarming conditions. The findings highlighted a widespread lack of protective equipment, the prevalence of child labour, unhygienic living settlements, respiratory illnesses and severe debt bondage. The lesson is simple - there is a need to introduce cleaner brick production in accordance with the protocols and standards set by the WHO. Rather than waiting for another environmental and public health disaster, Umerkot has an opportunity to become Sindh's leading district in sustainable brick manufacturing. The Umerkot deputy commissioner can take the lead by developing and implementing a Green Brick Kiln Action Plan that balances economic growth with environmental protection and public health. Through coordinated action involving the Environment Protection Agency, the Labour Department, the Health Department, local governments and brick kiln owners, Umerkot can become a model for clean and sustainable industrial development across Sindh. Fortunately, Sindh Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development Dost Muhammad Rahimoon belongs to the region. He understands the local context and challenges. His leadership provides an important opportunity to promote cleaner brick kiln technologies, strengthen enforcement against the burning of hazardous waste and mobilise provincial support for a greener and healthier Umerkot. With strong political commitment and coordinated district-level action, Umerkot can become an example of how environmental protection and economic development can go hand in hand. Instead of focusing solely on penalties, the strategy should combine regulation with incentives. Kiln owners adopting cleaner technology should receive technical guidance, concessional financing, tax incentives and access to environmentally friendly fuel alternatives. At the same time, those continuing to burn hazardous waste should face strict environmental enforcement. This balanced approach has worked in several Asian countries and can work in Sindh as well. First, there is an immediate need to prohibit the burning of clothes, plastic, rubber and hazardous waste in all brick kilns across Umerkot through coordinated inspections by the EPA and district administration. Then, there is a need to establish a financial support package that supports kiln owners in converting traditional kilns into Zigzag technology through subsidies, soft loans and public-private partnerships. The minister can support this initiative and consider allocating an appropriate development budget for its growth. We can start with Umerkot, at least. We need to install continuous air quality monitoring around kiln clusters and publicly disclose pollution data so communities know what they are breathing. There is a need to create a district-level Brick Kiln Task Force involving government departments, kiln owners, labour representatives, health experts, environmental specialists and civil society organisations to oversee compliance and long-term reforms. The writer, based in Umerkot, has more than 13 years of experience in the development sector. He can be reached at [email protected]