The Sindh government has proposed a $3.5 million project to convert more than 120 traditional brick kilns to zig-zag technology by 2029, aiming to cut harmful PM2.5 emissions by around 40 per cent, divert 20,000 tonnes of waste annually through circular-economy measures, and improve cleaner production, worker safety and environmental monitoring across the province.
Sindh plans $3.5m shift to cleaner brick kilns
ISLAMABAD, Oct 08 (APP): The Sindh government has proposed a $3.5 million project to convert more than 120 traditional brick kilns to zig-zag technology by 2029, aiming to cut harmful PM2.5 emissions by around 40 per cent, divert 20,000 tonnes of waste annually through circular-economy measures, and improve cleaner production, worker safety and environmental monitoring across the province.
According to an official document available with Wealth Pakistan, the project, titled “Decarbonizing Brick Kilns in Sindh through Modernization and Circular Economy Integration,” will modernise conventional kilns, train kiln owners and workers, and introduce digital systems for environmental monitoring and carbon measurement.
The initiative is expected to directly benefit around 3,000 people and indirectly benefit another 20,000, while promoting the use of industrial and agricultural waste in cleaner brick production.
Under the proposed project, more than 120 traditional kilns would be retrofitted or replaced with zig-zag technology, alongside training in cleaner production and occupational safety.
The project also envisages diverting 20,000 tonnes of waste each year through circular-economy interventions, including the use of fly ash and agricultural waste in compressed stabilised earth blocks (CSEBs).
A key component would be the establishment of a carbon monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) and crediting platform to measure, document and verify the project’s environmental outcomes and support carbon-credit aggregation.
The Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development Department (ECC&CDD), Sindh, has been designated as the lead agency, while GIZ and UNDP have been identified as technical partners.
Implementation support would be provided by the Pakistan Brick Kiln Association and cement and fly-ash suppliers, while the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency, Labour Department, universities and research institutions would serve as collaborating institutions.
The project would use baseline, mid-term and end-line assessments, third-party audits and continuous digital monitoring, reporting and verification to track progress.
The document sets 2029 as the target for completing the conversion of the targeted kilns.
The proposed project is among the initiatives processed under the World Bank Country Partnership Framework for Pakistan for FY2026-35, with an estimated budget of $3.5 million.
