Pollutant emissions by volume, kilotons - 2017–2019
Substance | 2018 | 2019 |
Sulfur dioxide | 1,1 | 1,6 |
Nitrogen oxides | 4 | 3,7 |
Suspended solid particulate | 1,5 | 1,7 |
Carbon monoxide | 3,9 | 5,7 |
Metallurgical, energy, mining, mining exploratory, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries and construction are the principal sources of air pollution in Shymkent
Pollutant emissions from stationary sources, kilotons - 2018–2019
2018 | 2019 |
33,4 | 31,2 |
Stationary sources of air pollution, aggregate - 2018–2019
2018 | 2019 |
5 571 | 5 447 |
The following steps are being taken to
combat air pollution in the city:
•
Increase numbers of motor vehicles
running on LNG and meeting Euro-5
emission standards;
Road reconstruction to increase traffic
flow and construct bypass roads for
freight and heavy trucks;
• Construction LNG filling stations for
public transport;
• Gasification of outlying residential
areas of the city;
• Introduction of automated emissions
monitoring of large enterprises and
online monitoring of city air quality.
Pollutant emissions from motor vehicle transportation, kilotons – 2018-2019
2018 | 2019 |
50,8 | 50,6 |
In 2019, the city purchased ~ 300 new Euro-5 compliant buses; in 2020, plans include the purchase of 500 buses running on compressed methane gas.
Air pollution levels, Shymkent - 2018-2019
2018 | 2019 |
Elevated | High |
No incidents of excessive or extremely excessive air pollution were recorded in the city.
92% of Shymkent residents have access to natural gas. In 2019, funds were allocated for the implementation of two residential gas line projects.
Shymkent residents with access to city water supply, aggregate - 2018-2019
2018 | 2019 |
940 230 | 1 029 410 |
The Sayramsu, Koshkar-ata, Karasu, Aksu, and Badam (the largest) rivers run through Shymkent. The Badam Reservoir is the source of drinking water for the city.
Surface water monitoring is conducted on the Badam River, which was rated as a 4th Class water resource, suitable only for irrigation and industrial use. Quality is affected by effluent discharges from residential areas located within the river's designated water protection zone and including car wash runoff and illegal household waste dumping.
The total oblast land area amounts to over 116,000 hectares.
Distribution of land by category, thousands of hectares - 2018–2019
Category | 2018 | 2019 |
Agricultural land | 62 613 | 62 608 |
Residential land | 37 612 | 37 569 |
Land zoned for industrial, transport, communications, defense, and other non-agricultural purposes | 6 265 | 6 316 |
Protected nature preserves | 171 | 171 |
Forestland | 4 330 | 4 330 |
Surface water lands | 1 520 | 1 520 |
Undesignated Reserve Land | 3 769 | 3 766 |
Annually, in spring and autumn, the city monitors soils for heavy metal concentrations
Results of soil testing for heavy metals, maximum concentrations, mg/kg - 2019
Metal | Max. permissible concentration (MPC) | Maximum levels in samples |
Lead | 32 | 1 460 |
Copper | 3 | 84 |
Zinc | 23 | 108 |
Chromium | 6 | 1,5 |
Permits issued for common mineral extraction - 2018-2019
2018 | 2019 |
38 | 32 |
In 2019, more than 28,000 deciduous and coniferous tree seedlings, 47,000 perennial shrubs, 56,600 perennial flowers, 939,500 annuals and lawns covering 7.2 hectares were planted throughout the city. For 2019-2023, plans are to increase seedling plantings by an additional 5.5 thousand trees.
In 2018-2019, radiation level monitoring was carried out in Shymkent that included the testing of soil, water, construction materials, precipitation, air quality, residential and public buildings, plots of land and other sites. No exceedances were revealed. Monitoring of radioactive gamma contamination of the surface layer of the atmosphere carried out at the Shymkent meteorological station revealed all radiation levels within permissible norms.
Solid household waste generation and processing – kilotons - 2018-2019
2018 | 2019 | |
Volume of generated waste, kilotons | 216 | 224 |
Percentage of generated waste sorted & recycled | 18,3 | 22,1 |
In the city of Shymkent, 13 enterprises are active in waste management, with 95% of city residents served with household waste management services.
There are two landfills in the city – one operational, one retired. Beginning in2017, a waste processing plant with a daily processing capacity of 600 tons has been in operation at the existing landfill.
The As-Peak, LLP, Eco Shina, LLP, and sole proprietors Tuteev and E Uskenbaev accept wastepaper, plastic and tires for recycling.
The Water Resources- Marketing company has installed three solar power plants and one biogas plant in Shymkent.
The city suffers from high air pollution. The Comprehensive Program for the Development of Bus Transportation for 2018-2020 is addressing the issue by purchasing 300 new Euro-5 category buses; further plans include the purchase of 500 additional buses running on LNG. A residential sector gasification project is ongoing.
The city's sewer system is outdated, and the bulk of the city has no
access to central sewer lines, resulting in wastewater polluting the
groundwater. Plans for 4 sewage treatment facilities were finalized in
2019 and documentation is ongoing for an additional eight collectors.
The project will connect 35,000 city residents to the central sewage
system.
More than 20% of the city's water supply network is in need of major
repairs. Water lines of 7.2 kilometers in length are under
construction. Cost estimates have been drawn up and a budget
application submitted for an additional 51 kilometers of water lines
covering 20 city streets. Plans are in place to overhaul a 3.86-
kilometer section of the Yangichek Canal.
In 2019, ~ 122 spontaneous landfills were identified within Shymkent city limits. The city's Akimat and the Environmental Ministry have drawn up a timetable for their removal. The "Together for a Clean Kazakhstan" Campaign series of public clean-up days (“subbotniks”) collected 465 tons of garbage that was hauled to the landfill.
On the territory of the city there are long-term accumulations of wastes from phosphorous and lead- mining, whose storage presents both an environmental and public health hazard. However, the waste is privately held, excluding the possibility of a clean-up of the territory.