A recent six-month survey by the Bombay Environment Action Group (BEAG) has raised alarms about the environmental and health impact of Mumbai's bakery industry. The survey, which covered 200 bakeries, revealed that a staggering 47% still rely on wood, primarily scrap wood from old furniture shops, as their main fuel source.

This practice not only contributes significantly to Mumbai’s air pollution but also poses severe health risks.

Burning scrap wood releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can cause asthma and other respiratory illnesses, while also contributing to haze formation and ground-level ozone. The environmental impact is staggering, with an estimated 80,381 kg of PM 2.5 emitted annually from just 72 of the surveyed bakeries.

The survey revealed that Byculla (E ward) had the highest concentration of bakeries at 84, followed by Kurla (68) and Andheri West (53). While electricity is the second most common fuel source, used by 28.1% of bakeries, cleaner alternatives like LPG and PNG remain underutilised.

BEAG members emphasise the urgent need for intervention, as these emissions directly affect densely populated areas. The organisation proposes moving wood-burning bakeries to electric or PNG facilities. However, challenges such as space constraints for LPG cylinders and difficulties in laying PNG pipelines in slum areas complicate the shift.

In response, the BMC is developing a new policy to tackle this issue. Following a survey of Mumbai's bakeries, they are actively working to convert wood-fueled bakeries to electric ovens. Ward-level meetings are being held to support this transition, and new bakeries are allowed to operate only with electric ovens.

As Mumbai grapples with rising air pollution levels, addressing the bakery industry's fuel practices has become a critical step towards improving the city's overall air quality and public health.