In a bid to curb deforestation and environmental degradation in Kenya, traditional charcoal production is no longer a viable option.
The use of briquettes as a source of fuel has picked up in Nyahururu to replace wood and charcoal. Briquettes are compressed blocks of coal dust with by-products pressed with additives that help them light and burn consistently.
James Mwangi, who owns this business in Nyahururu town, told KNA about this line of work. He said his charcoal briquette business combines the fusion of modern technology with old practices.
He says he uses charcoal dust and red soil to make them. He mixes the two together and adds water to make a heavy paste, making it easy to mould.
This is then fed through a briquette-making machine, which uses electricity to compact them, producing the briquettes. Later, they are dried on a flat, raised surface for three days, hardening them up, or in his case, he uses a greenhouse to ensure a faster drying process.
“I mix charcoal dust with red soil, keeping the ratio of charcoal dust high. A small amount of water is then added to the mixture to make it thick. It is later put in a briquette machine, shaping it into blocks which are dried to make it harder,” he said.
He mentioned that the briquette-making business is advantageous as it is less expensive to produce because the wastes used are easily available. It does not emit polluting gases since it doesn’t contain carbon and sulphur, which are found in ordinary charcoal, making it environmentally friendly.
Most people, he says, prefer briquettes because they burn longer; three pieces can burn for five hours, and a kilogram costs Sh30.
“This business has more advantages than disadvantages. Briquettes are cheap to produce since the waste used is not difficult to find. They don’t contain polluting gases that are harmful to the environment, making them burn longer. Charcoal briquettes cost less than normal charcoal coals,” he mentioned.
Eliud Kahiga, who is an employee, added that buying a briquette-making machine is expensive, which poses a challenge to those looking to start this business. Sometimes it’s hard to obtain charcoal dust, which is the main material used in manufacturing the briquettes.
“Buying the machine that is used in making the briquettes is expensive, which will be a problem for those willing to start the business. Charcoal dust is also hard to find because it’s usually waste obtained from traditional charcoal, which has to be used in order to obtain it,” he added.
The briquette-making business is a good source of income that provides easy employment. One can learn to make them and be self-employed rather than staying jobless. This business is very profitable and has many benefits since the demand for this product is always high.
The government should also provide incentives to encourage small-scale entrepreneurs to invest more in environmentally friendly businesses.
By Joyce Thang’wa and Sarah Mong’ina
