According to the research, 47.10 per cent of the 200 surveyed registered bakeries predominantly use wood as fuel, primarily sourced as scrap wood from old furniture and dilapidated buildings due to its lower cost compared to logwood. Larger wood-consuming bakeries reported daily usage of 250 to 300 kilograms of wood, while the average wood consumption for wood-fired bakeries was approximately 130 kilograms daily. To process 20 kilograms of flour, about 4-5 kilograms of wood are required. The cost of scrap wood is around Rs 4-5 per kilogram, whereas logwood costs Rs 10-12 per kilogram. 

The ash generated from wood-fired bakeries is often disposed of in dumping grounds, contributing to air pollution. Of all the wards visited and surveyed, E Ward, which covers Byculla and Mazagaon, had the highest number of bakeries (23), followed closely by B and K/West wards with 21 visits each. E Ward also had the highest usage of wood and electricity, with 12 and 7 bakeries respectively. The H West ward, which covers Bandra and Khar West, has 19 bakeries, of which 10 are wood-based. The K/West ward (Andheri-Jogeshwari West) notably relies heavily on LPG, with 13 out of 21 bakeries using it.

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Higher costs for devotees 40.78%

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Dr Tuhin Banerji, project head of the “Envisioning a Sustainable Bakery Industry for Mumbai” study, said, “According to our estimates based on an IIT Bombay study from 2023, the emission of PM10 from 72 wood-based bakeries is 1,18,207.44 kg per year, while the emission of PM2.5 is 80,381.06 kg per year. The environmental impact of these practices is staggering. Emissions from wood-fired ovens are a major source of particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5), tiny particles that can penetrate deep into the lungs, causing respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.” The report also mentioned, “Burning scrap wood produces volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are harmful due to the presence of glue in the wood. These compounds can cause cancer, asthma, and many other diseases, and also contribute to the formation of haze and ground-level ozone.” Dr Banerji further stated, “We estimate that around 700 bakeries are not registered with the BMC.”