A few days ago, an environmental non-profit raised concerns over the alarming use of wood as fuel in Mumbai's bakeries. The Bombay Environment Action Group (BEAG) surveyed 200 bakeries across the city over six months and found that about 47 per cent of these establishments rely on wood fuel.
In a report, BEAG shared that this kind of fuel releases harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM2.5) into the air, which leads to asthma and other diseases.
The study recommends transitioning from wood-fired ovens to cleaner fuels, which is crucial for improving air quality. Now Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has come up with The Mumbai Climate Action Plan which mandates all Mumbai bakeries should obtain licences to move to cleaner fuels by 2027.
Solid fuel burning is one of the toughest sources of pollution to abate. The bakery sector uses solid fuels from diverse origins. By allocating funds from the National Clean Air Programme and forming partnerships with the private sector, we can provide the technical and financial assistance needed to transition to cleaner fuels. Strengthened regulatory measures will ensure compliance and long-term sustainability,” said Dr Tuhin Banerji, Project Head for Envisioning a Sustainable Bakery Industry for Mumbai study.
According to the BEAG study, the Byculla and Mumbai Central areas (E ward) have the highest concentration of bakeries, with 84 establishments, followed by Andheri (K West ward) with 53, and Mohammed Ali Road (B ward) with 39 bread-and-cake units.
The larger wood-consuming bakeries reported daily usage between 250 and 300 kg of wood, while the average wood consumption for wood-fired bakeries stood at approximately 130 kg daily. To process 20 kg of flour into ‘pav’; about 4-5 kg of wood is required.
“Tackling emissions from bakeries is an achievable target. Being nestled in residential areas, they cause grave health concerns. With positive stakeholder engagement and incentives, there is a good possibility that all bakeries will transition to cleaner fuels within the next two years,” said Hema Ramani, Former Campaigns Director, at BEAG.