The incorrect use of the briquettes or inappropriate stoves has been blamed for the loss of human life. Over 350 employees from the Tavan Tolgoi Fuel Company have worked in the ger districts to teach people how to burn the briquettes correctly and fix their stoves.

This year, the government introduced a ban on burning coal in the Mongolian capital where the winter temperature falls to as low as -40 Celsius. Ulaanbaatar is one of the most air-polluted cities of the world. Smoke from shantytown ger districts where over 220,000 families live, is the main culprit of Ulaanbaatar’s air-pollution.

In March, the Mongolian government decided to totally ban the use of raw coal. Household offenders will be fined 300,000 tugriks (USD 113), while large businesses will be fined 3 million tugriks (USD 1,134). As of today, a total of 36 violations of burning raw coal have been reported in Ulaanbaatar.

In the light of the ban, the government has but an alternative product on the market made from semi-coke, a by-product of coal. While more expensive, these fuel-efficient briquettes are said to burn twice as long and emit far fewer fumes.