Workers too set to gain from eco-friendly bricks

Published on 8/30/2007

VV Balakrishna


Hyderabad, Aug 29: Brick maufacturers in the State, using Fal-G technology, have scripted a success story by acquir ing 27,433 tonnes carbon credits.  As many as 13 small entrepreneurs, who are manufacturing fly ash bricks, got carbon credits to the tune of US $ 2,05,000. Probably this is the first of its kind in the country that small entrepreneurs getting carbon credits.   Each unit would earn Rs 1 to 4 lakh for reducing 27,433 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) between 2004-07. A small portion of the amount received from the World Bank would be utilised for the welfare of labourers working in these 13 units.   This is possible with the technology of Institute For Solid Waste Research Ecological Balance (INSWAREB), which started Fal-G units for making fly ash bricks in 1990. It has started units with a small number and now around 2,000 Fal-G units in the State are working with the technology. Of which audit reports of 13 units were sent to World Bank claiming carbon credits.   The INSWAREB had entered into Emission Reduction Purchase Agreement with the fly-ash units and in turn it reached Emission Reduction Transfer Agreement with the World Bank. Unlike traditional kiln, fly ash brick units need not burn coal to make bricks. The traditional brick units will burn 400 tonnes of coal to produce 760 tonnes of carbon dioxide to prepare 20 lakh bricks.   According to estimate, one cubic metre fly ash brick will give 0.23 tonnes carbon credit.   The carbon credits will be calculated basing the number of fly-ash bricks manufactured in each unit. There will be a strict monitoring on the electricity consumption, fly ash consumption and sale of brick by the units.   Of the total amount received from the World Bank, $0.95 would be spent on the welfare of the workers. Each of the 130 workers in these 13 units would get Rs 1 lakh insurance and other benefits. Each brick unit was set up with an estimated cost of Rs 7 to 8 lakh. If these units get carbon credits regularly they would get their investment back, explained INSWAREB director N Kalidas.   He developed a technology to prepare fly ash and guided small entrepreneurs to start the units. Our aim is to increase the fly-ash brick units to 50,000 in the country and 5,000 in the State, he told Express.  Of the 13 units which got carbon credits, six are located in Krishna district, three in West Godavri two in Vizianagaram and one each in Visakhapatnam and East Godavari.