Air Quality and Industrial Emissions in the Cities of Kazakhstan

Atmosphere

Aiymgul Kerimray¹  Daulet Assanov²  Valeryi Zapasnyi³ 

[1] Center of Physical-Chemical Methods of Research and Analysis, Al Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050012, Kazakhstan;Excellence Center Veritas, D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University, Ust-Kamenogorsk 070003,Kazakhstan;The School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, D. Serikbayev East Kazakhstan Technical University, Ust-Kamenogorsk 070003, Kazakhstan;

关键词: Kazakhstan;    industry pollution;    environmental policy;    air quality;   

DOI  :  10.3390/atmos12030314

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Industrial emissions are of major concern, especially in developing countries. Hence, there is a need for studies that investigate the trends in industrial emissions in these countries. The purpose of this study is to discuss trends in industrial emissions in Kazakhstan and the air pollution level in its industrial cities. Data on emission limit values from the permitting documents of twenty-one power plants and nine metallurgical enterprises of Kazakhstan were analyzed. Eight cities (out of fourteen) had a “high” level of atmospheric air pollution according to the Air Pollution Index in 2019. Most of the considered enterprises increased their emission limit values compared to previous permitting period. At some cities there is a lack of monitoring stations, indicating the need for improving the spatial coverage of the air quality monitoring network in the industrial cities of Kazakhstan. The location of industrial plants far outside the cities could reduce the exposure of the urban population to air pollution. Kazakhstan urgently needs to adopt stringent emissions standards for coal-fired power plants and heavy industrial plants. The national air quality standards and definitions of air pollutants need to be updated based on the latest scientific knowledge.

【 授权许可】

Unknown