Mapping Time-Space Brickfield Development Dynamics in Peri-Urban Area of Dhaka, Bangladesh
Due to the high demand for cheap construction materials, clay-made brick manufacturing has become a thriving industry in Bangladesh, with manufacturing kilns heavily concentrated in the peripheries of larger cities and towns. These manufacturing sites, known as brickfields, operate using centuries-o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2019-10-01
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| Series: | ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/8/10/447 |
| _version_ | 1818999781950750720 |
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| author | Mohammad Mehedy Hassan Levente Juhász Jane Southworth |
| author_facet | Mohammad Mehedy Hassan Levente Juhász Jane Southworth |
| author_sort | Mohammad Mehedy Hassan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Due to the high demand for cheap construction materials, clay-made brick manufacturing has become a thriving industry in Bangladesh, with manufacturing kilns heavily concentrated in the peripheries of larger cities and towns. These manufacturing sites, known as brickfields, operate using centuries-old technologies which expel dust, ash, black smoke and other pollutants into the atmosphere. This in turn impacts the air quality of cities and their surroundings and may also have broader impacts on health, the environment, and potentially contribute to global climate change. Using remotely sensed Landsat imagery, this study identifies brickfield locations and areal expansion between 1990 and 2015 in Dhaka, and employs spatial statistics methods including quadrat analysis and Ripley’s K-function to analyze the spatial variation of brickfield locations. Finally, using nearest neighbor distance as density functions, the distance between brickfield locations and six major geographical features (i.e., urban, rural settlement, wetland, river, highway, and local road) were estimated to investigate the threat posed by the presence of such polluting brickfields nearby urban, infrastructures and other natural areas. Results show significant expansion of brickfields both in number and clusters between 1990 and 2015 with brickfields increasing in number from 247 to 917 (total growth rate 271%) across the Dhaka urban center. The results also reveal that brickfield locations are spatially clustered: 78% of brickfields are located on major riverbanks and 40% of the total are located in ecologically sensitive wetlands surrounding Dhaka. Additionally, the average distance from the brick manufacturing plant to the nearest urban area decreased from 1500 m to 500 m over the study period. This research highlights the increasing threats to the environment, human health, and the sustainability of the megacity Dhaka from brickfield expansion in the immediate peripheral areas of its urban center. Findings and methods presented in this study can facilitate data-driven decision making by government officials and city planners to formulate strategies for improved brick production technologies and decreased environmental impacts for this urban region in Bangladesh. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T22:22:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c0a16a98edf742a1a96b21edebb9046a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2220-9964 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T22:22:53Z |
| publishDate | 2019-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information |
| spelling | doaj.art-c0a16a98edf742a1a96b21edebb9046a2022-12-21T19:24:53ZengMDPI AGISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information2220-99642019-10-0181044710.3390/ijgi8100447ijgi8100447Mapping Time-Space Brickfield Development Dynamics in Peri-Urban Area of Dhaka, BangladeshMohammad Mehedy Hassan0Levente Juhász1Jane Southworth2Department of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USAGIS Center, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, USADepartment of Geography, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USADue to the high demand for cheap construction materials, clay-made brick manufacturing has become a thriving industry in Bangladesh, with manufacturing kilns heavily concentrated in the peripheries of larger cities and towns. These manufacturing sites, known as brickfields, operate using centuries-old technologies which expel dust, ash, black smoke and other pollutants into the atmosphere. This in turn impacts the air quality of cities and their surroundings and may also have broader impacts on health, the environment, and potentially contribute to global climate change. Using remotely sensed Landsat imagery, this study identifies brickfield locations and areal expansion between 1990 and 2015 in Dhaka, and employs spatial statistics methods including quadrat analysis and Ripley’s K-function to analyze the spatial variation of brickfield locations. Finally, using nearest neighbor distance as density functions, the distance between brickfield locations and six major geographical features (i.e., urban, rural settlement, wetland, river, highway, and local road) were estimated to investigate the threat posed by the presence of such polluting brickfields nearby urban, infrastructures and other natural areas. Results show significant expansion of brickfields both in number and clusters between 1990 and 2015 with brickfields increasing in number from 247 to 917 (total growth rate 271%) across the Dhaka urban center. The results also reveal that brickfield locations are spatially clustered: 78% of brickfields are located on major riverbanks and 40% of the total are located in ecologically sensitive wetlands surrounding Dhaka. Additionally, the average distance from the brick manufacturing plant to the nearest urban area decreased from 1500 m to 500 m over the study period. This research highlights the increasing threats to the environment, human health, and the sustainability of the megacity Dhaka from brickfield expansion in the immediate peripheral areas of its urban center. Findings and methods presented in this study can facilitate data-driven decision making by government officials and city planners to formulate strategies for improved brick production technologies and decreased environmental impacts for this urban region in Bangladesh.https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/8/10/447dhakabrickfieldpollutionspatial analysisgis and rsenvironmental degradation |
| spellingShingle | Mohammad Mehedy Hassan Levente Juhász Jane Southworth Mapping Time-Space Brickfield Development Dynamics in Peri-Urban Area of Dhaka, Bangladesh ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information dhaka brickfield pollution spatial analysis gis and rs environmental degradation |
| title | Mapping Time-Space Brickfield Development Dynamics in Peri-Urban Area of Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| title_full | Mapping Time-Space Brickfield Development Dynamics in Peri-Urban Area of Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| title_fullStr | Mapping Time-Space Brickfield Development Dynamics in Peri-Urban Area of Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mapping Time-Space Brickfield Development Dynamics in Peri-Urban Area of Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| title_short | Mapping Time-Space Brickfield Development Dynamics in Peri-Urban Area of Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| title_sort | mapping time space brickfield development dynamics in peri urban area of dhaka bangladesh |
| topic | dhaka brickfield pollution spatial analysis gis and rs environmental degradation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2220-9964/8/10/447 |
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