UPDATE: World Bank Report: Brick fields across Bangladesh expel more than 9.8 million tons of greenhouse gases each year

"due to a combination of old technology, weak environmental legislation and enforcement and lack of corporate responsibility." The website of the Bangladesh Ministry of Environment and Forests outlines plans to cut the fumes emitted from brick fields by introducing cleaner technology and practices, as well as closer monitoring, through the Clean Air and Sustainable Environment Project.  

The pollution is causing serious health hazards. The brick kilns spew out vapor that is harmful to eyes, lungs and throats. These pollutants pose a risk to children's physical and mental development.There's also a heavy environmental cost beyond the air pollution the brick kilns cause, particularly since forests are cut down to provide fuel for the furnaces.Meanwhile, the brick workers serve the rapid development of Bangladesh's cities. But what, Petralla asks, do they gain from such growth? "They are only slaves of it, and they cannot use their production," he said. "It's pure injustice." - Raffaele Petralla is an Italian photographer. You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

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