Primary regional pollutant emissions by volume, kilotons - 2018–2019
2018 | 2019 | |
Sulfur dioxide | 325 | 330,6 |
Nitrogen oxides | 105,7 | 122,1 |
Suspended solid particulates | 158,5 | 157,1 |
Carbon monoxide | 81,8 | 93,4 |
Energy generation, metallurgy, mining, oil refining, and chemical industries are the principal sources of air pollution in the region. 64% of all emissions are sourced at thermal power stations, 23% from metallurgical firms, and 4% from oil refining.
In 2019, over 720,000 tons of pollutants were released into the atmosphere in the region; in 2018, slightly more than 709,000 tons.
Fixed emission sources - in the region – 2018-2019
2018 | 2019 |
13 997 | 13 472 |
Aggregate, by age, motor vehicles in the oblast – 2018-2019
Year | < 6 years | 6 – 15 years | 15 - 25 years | > 25 years |
2018 | 18 532 | 43 379 | 49 575 | 83 647 |
2019 | 14 087 | 44 899 | 40 360 | 93 157 |
Aggregate, motor vehicles in the oblast, by type - 2015-201
Mode of transport | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
Cars | 166 026 | 162 862 | 158 397 | 154 177 | 152 654 |
Trucks/Lorries | 21 380 | 21 186 | 20 843 | 20 363 | 19 942 |
Buses | 2 328 | 5 143 | 4 985 | 4 723 | 4 532 |
Caravans | 12 051 | 12 090 | 12 158 | 12 276 | 11 957 |
Motorcycles | 3 894 | 3 794 | 3 705 | 3 594 | 3 418 |
TOTAL | 205 679 | 205 075 | 200 088 | 195 133 | 192 503 |
Permits issued for natural gas cylinder installation - 2017-2019
2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
Quantity | 1 310 | 1 048 | 1 628 |
Air pollution assessment in the oblast is conducted at 10 monitoring stations in the cities of Pavlodar, Ekibastuz, and Aksu.
Oblast urban residential air pollution levels - 2018-2019
City | 2018 | 2019 |
Pavlodar | Elevated level of pollution | Low level of pollution |
Ekibastuz | High level of pollution | Low level of pollution |
Aksu | Elevated level of pollution | Low level of pollution |
There were no incidents of high and extremely high air pollution in the oblast.
To inform residents of the cities of Pavlodar and Ekibastuz about air quality, updated information is broadcast on six LED displays throughout the cities.
Since 2015, the oblast has been monitoring air pollution levels at the sanitary protection zones of all industrial facilities.
Data from oblast industrial sanitary protection zones - 2017–2019
2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
Number of facilities monitored | 11 | 19 | 6 |
Number of measurements taken | 5 000 | 8 500 | 5 892 |
At the Pavlodar Aluminum Plant, work has begun to replace the electrostatic filtration system in the sintering furnaces shop which will reduce dust emissions by 13%. Eight filters are set to be replaced.
Large factories included in the Akimat memorandum are installing automated air monitors. Kazakhstan Aluminum, JSC has installed an optical air quality monitor in its sanitary protection zone which analyzes the air around the plant for the following six substances: carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and dioxide, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and dust. Beginning in 2021, plans are to gradually introduce similar technology at other plants in the 0blast.
To combat air pollution in oblast cities, 156 electric boilers were installed at public facilities which had previously burned solid fuels.
Nature reserves in the oblast include the lakes Jasybai, Toraigyr, Sabyndykol and Birzhankol, all of which require dedicated management.
Water quality assessment, selected regional water sources - 2019
Water source | Class | About Scripture |
Usolka River | 1 | Suitable for all types of use. Highest rated. |
Yertis River | 1 | |
Lake Zhasybai | >5 | Non-standardized class. Exceeds all class 5 guidelines. Lowest rated. |
Lake Sabyndykol | >5 | |
Lake Toraighir | >5 |
Domestic wastewater discharge - 2018–2019
2018 | 2019 | |
Volume – wastewater discharge – millions m3 | 4,2 | 4 |
There are seven reservoirs, 398 lakes, and 130 periodic watercourses and small rivers in the region, of which the most significant are the rivers Shiderty, Olenty, Sileta, Ashchysu, Tundyk, and Karasu.
Discharge of pollutants by enterprises - 2018-2019
2018 | 2019 | |
Volume – wastewater discharge – millions m3 | 2 000 | 1 847 |
Large regional enterprises divert
their waste water to specialized
wastewater reservoirs; large
regional metallurgical and energy
enterprises divert their
wastewater to sludge
accumulators and ash dumps,
which safeguards their seepage
into surface bodies of water.
Treated wastewater is then
released into the Yertis River:
• EEC, JSC Aksu power plant
• Pavlodar-Vodokanal, LLP
The Kanysh Satpayev Canal off the Yertis-Karaganda was constructed to provide water to the cities of the Pavlodar and Karaganda oblasts as well as the Karaganda coal basin. Within the Pavlodar Oblast the canal runs for 275 kilometers.
The largest source of water in the region is the Yertis River, which runs for 720 kilometers within the region and serves as a major source of drinking water. The Yertis is a Class 1 river, its waters suitable for all uses.
To provide water to remote settlements, improve fish habitats and develop agriculture, in 2018, the channels of the Tulka River were dredged from its source to the village of Alga.
Water treated at wastewater treatment facilities is diverted to Lake Karamyrza which converges with the Yertis River only during spring floods. The discharged water meets all environmental standards for quality.
In the region of the village of Karaterek in the Maysky district, the river banks were fortified, the Yertis River channel was dredged which will expand the river's floodplain and subsequently increase yields on floodplain meadows by 40-50%, providing fodder for around 100,000 head of livestock.
Nature reserves in the oblast include the lakes Jasybai, Toraigyr, Sabyndykol and Birzhankol, all of which require dedicated management.
The total oblast land area amounts to 12 million hectares.
Distribution of land by category, thousands of hectares - 2018–2019
Category | 2018 | 2019 |
Agricultural land | 5 906 | 6 196 |
Residential land | 1 753 | 1 771 |
Land zoned for industrial, transport, communications, defense, and other non-agricultural purposes | 129,7 | 130,6 |
Protected nature preserves | 357,9 | 357,9 |
Forestland | 127,5 | 127,5 |
Surface water lands | 78,9 | 78,9 |
Undesignated Reserve Land | 4 117 | 3 809 |
In 2018-2019, 61 enterprises mineral exploration and mining firms operated in the oblast. The oblast produces significant volume of coal mined by the following major firms: Bogatyr Komir LLP; the EEC, JSC Eastern open pit mine; Maikuben-West LLP; AngrensorEnergo LLP; Gamma Sarykol LLP; Gamma Taldykol LLP.
The mining of non-ferrous and precious metals in the oblast is undertaken by Kazakhmys Corporation LLP, Maikainzoloto JSC, and Algold LLP.
Mineral waters are extracted by the Moyildy Sanatorium, JSC; Rosa, JSC; and Alga Company, LLP.
In 2018, there were more than 980 thousand hectares of fallow agricultural land in the oblast, of which 284,500 were put into use and ~ 373,000 were transferred to state ownership. In 2019, there were over 478,000 hectares of fallow agricultural land in the oblast of which 150,000 were transferred to the state and 115,000 put into use.
Agricultural land returned to the State, thousands of hectares - 2014-2019
2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
157 | 129 | 217 | 232 | 140 | 150 |
Common mineral exploration and mining in the oblast - 2018-2019
2018 | 2019 | |
Sand | 331,7 | 492,7 |
Sand/gravel aggregate | 883 | 756 |
Clay | 40,5 | 107 |
Limestone | 2 169,6 | 769 |
Salt | 75,5 | 399,7 |
Annually in spring and autumn, soil assessments checking for heavy metal soil concentrations in the oblast is carried out. In 2018-2019, assessments were conducted in the cities of Pavlodar, Ekibastuze, and Aksu, and the Aktogay, Zhelezinsky, Irtysh, Kachir, Lebyazhinsky, Maysky, Uspensky and Sharbakta agricultural districts.
Excessive heavy metal concentrations in soil samples, mg/kg - 2019
Chromium | Lead | Zinc | Copper | |
Maximum allowed concentration | 6 | 32 | 23 | 3 |
Pavlodar | 1,1 | 30,8 | 20,3 | 0,17 |
Aksu | 6,4 | 25,9 | 10,1 | 0,62 |
Ekibastuz | 0,11 | 17,4 | 6 | 0,38 |
Oblast agricultural land | 0,44 | 23,4 | 15,8 | 1,8 |
There are four nature
reserves in the oblast:
• Ertis Ormany Forest
• Bayanaul National Park
• Yertis River National
Floodplain
• Kyzyl-Tau Zoological
Reserve
In the region, 265 bodies of water utilized as fisheries. Annually, the oblast actively restocks its bodies of water to restore the biodiversity. In 2018, lakes Sabyndykol and Zhasybai were stocked with young carp; in 2019, lakes Birzhankol and Toraigyr were stocked.
Aggregate, selected bird species found in the oblast - 2019
Species | Total |
Goose | 40 000 |
Eurasian Coot | 155 000 |
Duck | 902 000 |
Black grouse | 13 000 |
Partridge | 43 000 |
Sandpiper | 84 000 |
Quail | 19 000 |
Dove | 70 000 |
There are more than 20 Cultivated animal species and over 60 species of birds living or found in the oblast. 14 species of birds and two animal species native to the region are included in the Kazakhstan Red List.
Total area State forestlands, hectares - 2018-2019
Year | 2018 | 2019 |
Total area | 478 700 | 261 600 |
Forested area | 478 700 | 267 000 |
Oblast Nature Reserves, hectares - 2018-2019
2018 | 346 400 |
2019 |
There are 9.4 million hectares of hunting grounds in the oblast, on which 33 hunting plantations are located.
Aggregate, select animal species found in the oblast - 2019
Species | Total |
Moose | 150 |
Wapiti | 250 |
Spotted deer | 24 |
Boar | 400 |
Wolf | 170 |
Corsac Fox | 7 000 |
Muskrat | 10 000 |
Ermine | 1 700 |
Squirrel | 10 000 |
Badger | 4 500 |
Roe deer | 3 000 |
Hare | 40 000 |
Fox | 13 000 |
Marmot | 13 000 |
Steppe ferret | 10 000 |
Reforestation work carried out in the oblast over the past five years has increased forested area in the oblast by 1,500 hectares. In addition, in 2019, over 30 hectares were reforested on State lands. Roadside planting programs as well as planting programs at schools have been pursued throughout the oblast.
Monitoring of radioactive gamma contamination of the surface layer of the atmosphere in the oblast was carried out daily at seven meteorological stations in Aktogay, Bayanaul, Yertis, Pavlodar, Sharbakty, Ekibastuz, and Koktobe and at four automated monitoring stations in Pavlodar, Aksu and Ekibastuz. Measurements reveal that the average values of the gamma background, gamma emissions and radioactive fallout in both 2018 and 2019 were within normal limits.
T wo research complexes
belonging to the RSE National
Nuclear Center operate in the
Masky District:
- Baikal-1 reactor research
center
- IGR reactor research center
The oblast also has one long-
term storage site for spent
sources of ionizing radiation
and radioactive waste.
There are 336 household waste landfills in the oblast, four of which are licensed and compliant with environmental sanitation standards.
Regional industrial waste generation and processing – kilotons - 2018-2019
Year | Volume of generated waste, kilotons | Percentage of generated waste sorted & recycled |
2018 | 196,5 | 22 |
2019 | 200 | 23 |
Solid household waste generation and processing – kilotons - 2018-2019
Year | Volume of generated waste, kilotons | Percentage of generated waste sorted & recycled |
2018 | 117,3 | 8 |
2019 | 650 | 15 |
200 containers for mercury bulbs, 586 containers for plastic waste and 20 containers for electronic waste have been installed in the oblast. 2,000 containers for sorted waste collection have been installed in educational institutions in the oblast. In 2019, 200 covered “euro containers” were installed in Ekibastuz.
Within the oblast 10 enterprises are engaged in waste collection, processing, and disposal.
In Pavlodar, Spetsmashin, LLP processes plastic waste into granules which are then used to produce trash bags, paving slabs for sidewalks and curbs. The Ekibastuzkommunservis, LLP waste collection plant operates a solid waste sorting conveyer with an annual maximum capacity of 40 tons. A sorting line is under construction in the city of Aksu, and Victoria, LLP is already engaged in waste sorting there which is then transported to Pavlodar for further processing. In the Terenkol district, containers and a hand-operated plastic bottle crusher is installed at the district landfill. The site also collects glass containers wastepaper. A sorting line is scheduled to be installed at the landfill in 2020.
In 2019, as part of the “Subsidies for partial return on investment costs incurred by the agricultural industry” program, more than 720 solar panels were installed in pasturelands and private farms in the region that lack access to the central power supply.
In the Zhelezinsky district, 98 solar powered streetlight units have been installed.
Galitskoye, LLP in the Uspensky District has purchased two German- built wind power plants - the NEGMicon 1000/60 – each with a capacity of 1 MW.
KSP Steel, LLP is working on the introduction of a GSHP-130 heat pump unit to replace two electric boilers for domestic hot water use. The heat pump operates through the recirculation of the cooling system water from its pipe rolling production unit.
KSP Steel, LLP is working on the introduction of a GSHP-130 heat pump unit to replace two electric boilers for domestic hot water use. The heat pump operates through the recirculation of the cooling system water from its pipe rolling production unit.
For pedestrian-traffic accident prevention in Pavlodar, solar-powered stroboscopic crossing signals were installed at pedestrian crosswalks in school zones.
Household waste
landfills located in rural
areas are non-compliant with
environmental requirements. There are
currently 336 rural landfills of household
waste in the oblast which do not qualify as
landfills but current legislation does not
distinguish between urban and rural
domestic waste landfills. To address the
issue, the oblast Akimat has forwarded a
proposal to the Ministry of Ecology of the
Republic of Kazakhstan:
- to simplify the procedure for registration of
existing landfills in urban areas
- to accelerate the development of landfill
construction projects for small (population
under 5,000), medium (population 5,000-
10,000) and large (population 10,000 –
50,000) settlements.
Around six billion tons of industrial waste have been accumulated in the region of which 90% is mining and coal industrial overburden. 10% is thermal power and metallurgical industry waste. Waste storage presents the oblast with a serious problem. To address it, the Center for Ecological Technology Competence was founded. In 2019, the Center worked out a concept for the industrial development in Aksu that envisions establishing a cluster of cluster of small and medium- sized enterprises for the processing of ash and slag—the principal waste product of energy companies.
The region has several large industries that continuously emit significant levels of pollutant into the atmosphere. To address this, modern air monitoring equipment is being installed. In 2019, an Action Plan was developed to improve the overall environmental situation in the oblast over a five-year period by reducing emissions by 3,000 tons per year. In addition, new legislation is being worked out which will expand the listing of sanctioned pollutants, increase fixed costs and fines for polluters, and allow for unannounced plant inspections.
The Khimprom chemical plant and the Bylkyldak wastewater storage zone are contaminated mercury. To address the issue, clean-up work and the construction of an anti-filtration barrier 3.5 km in length was carried out in 2002-2004. In addition, the “Mercury Monitoring Program for the Pavlodar Northern Industrial Zone 2005-2020” was implemented for the assessment of six locations of mercury contamination. In 2017, the program was extended through 2025. In 2019, 300 soil, air, surface water, groundwater, and biological samples were taken for further assessment. Tests revealed no exceedances of mercury concentrations. Also in 2019, cost estimates were drawn up and forwarded for expert analysis for the “Construction of an anti-filtration barrier of 20m depth on the west side of the rope from discontinued Pump #6 to the Bylkyldak Storage pond” project. A chemical solvent, Denite, was tested as a solution for cleaning up mercury spills. Tests showed that the Denite alters mercury compounds from active to bound structures, establishing that soil decontamination is possible without the requirement of extracting the mercury.