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East Kazakhstan Oblast
In 2019, two cases of elevated hydrogen sulfide pollution were recorded in Ust-Kamenogorsk during unfavorably cold winter weather. 2015 2016 2017 2018 21,4 24,7 22,5 30,1 26,5 Industry is the principal source of air pollution in the oblast. Stationary sources of air pollution, aggregate - 2017–2019 2017 22 353 201 8 20 790 201 9 19 670 Discharge of pollutants by enterprises - 2018-2019 Volume – wastewater discharge – 000 m3 1 Volume – pollutant discharge - kt 2018 104 607 13,6 201 9 111 086 17,3 The principal water artery of the East Kazakhstan region is the Yertis River which supplies the needs of oblast industry, housing and communal sectors, oblast fisheries, agriculture, power generation and navigation. Large lakes in the oblast include lakes Zaisan, Markakol, Alakol, and Sasykkol. Domestic wastewater discharge - 2018–2019 Volume – wastewater discharge – 000 m3 1 Volume – pollutant discharge - kt 201 8 33 076 8,9 201 9 47 899 8,5 Emergency and unauthorized wastewater discharges - 2018 2018 21,8 0,016 Volume – wastewater discharge – 000 m 1 3Volume – pollutant discharge - kt There were no emergency or unauthorized wastewater discharges in 2019. The total oblast land area in 2019 amounted to more than 28 million hectares. Category Agricultural land Residential land Land zoned for industrial, transport, communications, defense, and other non-agricultural purposes Protected Nature Preserves Forestland Surface water land Undesignated Reserve areas 2017 10 848 2 945 188 1 542 2 153 571 10 100 2018 10 928 2 953 140 1 542 2 153 571 10 059 2019 11 071 2 953 145 1 542 2 154 571 9 911 Distribution of land by category - 2017–2019 - thousands of hectares Monitoring of gamma radiation levels in the oblast was conducted daily at 17 meteorological stations; all measurements were stable within acceptable guidelines. Environmental safeguards cost to business enterprises ( ) billions of Tenge Air Water Land resources Biodiversity Waste Renewable energy sources Radiation Environmental issues In 2019, just under 128 000 tons of pollutants were released into the air by enterprises in the region. Primary pollutants include sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and solids. Pollutant emissions from stationary sources - 2017–2019 Emissions, kt ( ) Contaminants Sulfur dioxide Nitrogen oxides Suspended solid particulate Carbon monoxide 2017 42,3 16,9 28,4 33,7 201 8 41,6 17,1 30,2 33,6 201 9 41,8 18 29,7 32,5 In 2019, 14 individual and corporate entities were cited for subsoil use violations. At the start of 2020, ionizing radiation samples are stored in ampoules employed in radiation therapy instruments at the radiological department of the Center for Nuclear Medicine and Oncology in Semey. Eight enterprises in the oblast engage in the collection, sorting and processing of household wastes. In Ust-Kamenogorsk, the Oskemenspetskommuntrans LLP has installed a sorting conveyer with a capacity of up to 100K tons annually. 2019 In 2018, to improve the air quality in the city of Zaisan, 2320 of 5035 residential structures, 5 schools, 88 commercial and 17 state organizations were connected to the centralized gas supply. As of 2019, 3678 residential structures, 88 commercial organizations, and 22 state organizations are connected. in 2019 - 1124. The Oblast Department of Internal Affairs monitors vehicle use compliance with environmental legislation. In 2018, police registered 2386 administrative offenses; Air quality monitoring in the oblast is carried out at 17 observation posts. Air pollution levels – Oblast cities - 2018-2019 Settlement Ust-Kamenogorsk Ridder Semey Altai Glubokoe 201 8 high elevated elevated - elevated 201 9 high low elevated low low In addition to emissions from stationary sources, motor vehicle emissions are a significant contributor to ambient air pollution. Number of vehicles in 2014–2019 Types of vehicles Passenger Cars Trucks / Lorries Buses Caravans Motorcycles TOTAL 2017 298 133 35 736 6 581 15 235 8 646 364 331 201 8 290 199 35 71 6 316 14 243 8 332 354 861 201 9 290 514 32 890 6 153 18 520 8 395 356 472 2014 288 234 33 522 6 634 17 673 8 937 355 000 2016 305 430 34 010 6 774 18 662 9 009 373 885 2015 307 992 34 062 6 814 18 539 9 212 376 619 W ater quality monitoring was carried out at 13 bodies of water bodies of the obast: the Kara Yertis, Yertis, Brexa, Tikhaya, Ulbi, Glubochanka, Krasnoyarska, Oba, Buktyrma, Emel, and Ayagoz rivers; Lake Markakol; and the Buktyrma and Ust- Kamenogorskoye reservoirs. Incidents of elevated and extremely elevated pollution of oblast surface water resources - 2017-2019 Incidents of elevated pollution Body of Water Brex River Tikhaya River Ulbi River Glubochanka River Krasnoyarska River 2017 - - - - 1 201 8 - - 3 1 1 201 9 - - - - - 2017 12 9 20 26 11 2019 2 10 8 12 2 2018 12 10 19 14 13 Incidents of extremely elevated pollution The principal sources of elevated and extremely elevated water pollution in the rivers of the oblast are mining enterprises and pre- existing sources of pollution (rock and slag piles, tailings ponds). To eliminate threats of flooding, a roadmap "Package of Measures to Prevent and Eliminate Flood Threats for 2017-2020" has been developed addressing 80 separate preventative measures. Between 2005 and 2019, the oblast Akimat issued 178 resolutions establishing water protection zones – covering a length of 2932 kilometers and an area of 119,530 hectares. In 2019, 420 000 hectares of unused agricultural land were identified in the region, of which nearly 174 000 were returned to state ownership. Land return aggregates - 2015–2019 - thousand hectares 2017 184 201 8 106 201 9 420 2016 80 2015 403 Land category Agricultural land Residential land Land zoned for industrial, transport, communications, defense, and other non-agricultural purposes Undesignated Reserve areas 2018 0,3 2,8 6 3,6 2019 0,3 2,8 6,1 3,6 Volume of depreciated land - 2018-2019 (thousand hectares) 293 soil pollution sites were registered in the oblast in 2019; in 2018 - 284 sites. Type of extracted natural resources Solid minerals Common minerals Hydrocarbon raw materials Groundwater Non-exploratory and non-producing facilities (tailings ponds and slag dumps) 2018 104 153 4 21 8 2019 112 154 2 6 8 Breakdown of enterprises by type of extracted resources - 2018 - 2019 At the beginning of 2020, 451 mining and other subsoil concerns were in operation in the oblast. Since 2017, the amount of agricultural land in the oblast has increased by nearly 223 thousand hectares, following an increase in private farmland and agricultural allotments. Pb Plumbum Свинец 207.2 82 41 31 82 82 80 0 Cu Copper Медь 63.546 29 1 18 8 2 zn Zink Цинк 65.39 30 2 18 8 2 In Ust-Kamenogorsk, Ridder and Semey, soil samples were taken to determine heavy metals content. Heavy metal concentrations exceeding the MPC in soil samples taken in large cities - spring and autumn, 2018–2019 (mg/kg) 2019 207-387 1,8-11 426-839 201 8 34-1791 0,6-38 26-996 201 9 52-875 0,3-42 87-906 2018 46-633 19 2- 17-510 Metal Lead Copper Zinc Spring Autumn 2019 96-450 0,4-27 36-1128 201 8 196-344 3,9-17 48-156 201 9 81-669 0,14-25 27-1145 2018 106-406 1,3-7 31-43 Metal Lead Copper Zinc Spring Autumn 2019 4,3-38 0,3-2,9 3,2-11 201 8 4,3-38 0,3-2,9 3,2-11 201 9 4,3-38 0,3-2,9 3,2-11 2018 4,3-38 0,3-2,9 3,2-11 Metal Lead Copper Zinc Spring Autumn Ust-Kamenogorsk Ridder Semey 86 122 102 971 643 477 143 551 654 180 46 000 240 000 1 300 2 200 197 176 137 154 West Altai State Nature Reserve Markakol State Nature Reserve Katon-Karagai National Nature Park Tarbagatai National Nature Park Semey Ormany State Forest Nature Reserve Kuludzhun State Nature Reserve Tarbagatay State Nature Reserve Karatal Sands State Nature Reserve Nizhne-Turgusun State Nature Reserve Ontustik Altai State Nature Reserve Sinegorsk Fir Grove State Natural Monument Altai Botanical Garden Protected state natural reserves of the East Kazakhstan Oblast There are 12 national and 13 oblast protected nature reserves in the oblast covering over 2M hectares. State forestland in the region amounts to 3.8 million hectares, of which forests cover 7%. Principal forestland species include pine, fir, spruce, cedar, larch, aspen, birch, poplar. Class C yclostomes Osteichthyes Amphibians Reptiles Birds Mammals Quantity 2 37 3 26 335 94 There are 497 vertebrate species in the region. The Oblast Department of Ecology exercises environmental control over economic activity at the decommissioned Semipalatinsk test site, monitoring the overall radiation conditions at the test site. For more information, see the Nuclear Test Legacy section. Index Generated wastes, kt Processed and sorted wastes, % Total landfills and junkyards Total landfills and junkyards meeting environmental standards 2018 183,5 4,8 435 28 2019 170,9 8,5 427 30 In 2019, the share of green electricity generation in the oblast amounted to 10.5% of all electricity generated. In 2019, six projects with a total capacity of 29.7 MW were identified in the Zharma District; design and survey work are currently underway. RENEWABLE ENERGY installations in the East Kazakhstan Oblast Installation Khariuzovskaya Hydroelectric Station Tishinskaya Hydroelectric Station Ulba Hydroelectric Station Zhangiz Solar Station Zharma District Solar Station Turgusun Hydroelectric Station-1 Aktogay Wind Farm Status active active active active active projected projected The Semey sewage treatment plant needs to be reconstructed to prevent the discharge of insufficiently treated wastewater into the Yertis River. In 2013, design and cost estimates were developed, but no funds for reconstruction were allocated. In 2017, a technical inspection was completed at the treatment facility and in 2019, the facility carried out a major repair project at its own expense. Adjustment to the design and cost estimates are now required for the work to go forward to completion. The issue remains unresolved. From the 1950s through the 1970s, uranium production processes took place within the city of Ust-Kamenogorsk resulting in radioactive contamination in residential areas. In 2005, the Cadastre of Radioactive Anomalies and Sources of Ionizing Radiation was compiled; within this framework, decontamination efforts have been undertaken annually since 2006. Monitoring efforts by the State environmental service in the cities of Ust-Kamenogorsk, Semey, Altai, Ridder and Shemonaikha are not positioned to provide comprehensive evaluation of the air quality or the state of the local natural environment. To address this issue in Ust- Kamenogorsk, an automated industrial and environmental monitoring system has been introduced. Plans include the creation of a regional monitoring network to be financed by funds allocated from the State budget. A number of derelict areas and physical objects i n the region exert negative impact on the local environment. Overall, there are 148 ownerless tailings ponds, overburden dumps, unmaintained ore dumps and slag piles in the oblast. Zhasyl Damu, JSC is currently engaged in the transfer of facilities of this type to State control and waste management services. To source drinking water in 2019, groundwater surveys and field studies were carried out at 17 settlements, and design and cost estimates were drawn up for groundwater surveys at an additional 61 rural settlements. Area of forest plantations - hectares The region comprises 12% of the total forests by area and 49% of the timber reserves of State forests. Annual seedings regularly supplement these totals. 2016 3 138 2017 3 670 2018 4 300 2019 4 636 Plans include the construction of an automated gas distribution and supply network to supply 60 rural settlements, over 95,000 residents, with gas supply from the Sarybulak field. Species Bear Wild Boar Moose W apiti Marmot Sable Wood grouse Hazel grouse Black grouse Partridge % 17 ,3 15,5 5,3 3 0,7 12,8 7,3 5,4 7,2 7,5 Population growth among selected animal species – 2019 compared to 2017
This interactive report was created by the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan with the support of the European Commission, the United Nations Environment Programme, and Zoï Environment Network.