The FBRK editorial team continues its series of articles on disinsection in the regions of Kazakhstan. This time, Akmola Region has come under scrutiny, where they again plan to use a preparation containing chlorpyrifos - a substance banned in the USA and the European Union due to its links to neurological disorders in children - for the treatment of parks, squares and water bodies.
WHAT IS BEING USED IN THE REGION
According to the Akmola Region akimat, disinsection work in the region is planned for the period from May to October 2026, with an approximate start date of 10 May. Treatment is carried out monthly, and when hot weather sets in, with increased frequency.
Preparations based on the following are listed for the work: chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin and diflubenzuron.
Open areas subject to treatment include: parks, squares, avenues, stadiums, and water bodies. Biological methods of insect control are not planned for the current season.
WHY THESE SUBSTANCES ARE DANGEROUS
Chlorpyrifos is an organophosphate insecticide of hazard class II, which affects the nervous system. In 2021, the US Environmental Protection Agency banned its use precisely because of its link to neurological damage in children. The countries of the European Union have also banned this substance.
As early as 2014, American researchers established that pregnant women living within a 1.5 km radius of fields where chlorpyrifos was used had a 60% increased likelihood of giving birth to children with autism spectrum disorders.
Cypermethrin belongs to the synthetic pyrethroids. If safety precautions are not observed, it causes neurological symptoms and allergic reactions. Studies record its negative impact on the development of the nervous system in children and a link to behavioural disorders. The substance poses a particular danger to aquatic organisms.
Diflubenzuron is used on water bodies, although its use is most risky precisely there: the substance is highly toxic to freshwater invertebrates, including crustaceans and molluscs, affecting their reproductive function, growth and survival. In humans, diflubenzuron can cause headaches and difficulty breathing.
CONTROL ONLY ON PAPER
When asked about involving independent experts to monitor concentrations when preparing working solutions, the akimat replied directly: "the involvement of independent experts is not provided for". Control is limited to video recording of the processes.
Members of the public can only send a written request and receive information about the preparations used - nothing more. This means that, effectively, no one except the contractors themselves checks the correctness of concentrations when diluting the preparations.
BACKGROUND
In 2025, the FBRK editorial team wrote about the use of cypermethrin in Akmola Region and analysed in detail the systemic contradictions in official documents: the same preparations were simultaneously listed under different hazard classes in the state register.
At that time, we also pointed out the complete unattainability of 'laboratory precision' under the actual working conditions of Kazakh municipal services.
In 2026, the region's arsenal expanded - chlorpyrifos, banned in developed countries, was added to cypermethrin.
During the period of disinsection work, FBRK recommends that residents exercise caution: do not open windows during treatment, avoid visiting treated areas if possible, and do not allow children to play or animals to be walked on grass or near water bodies after the spraying of preparations.
We will continue to monitor disinsection in the regions of Kazakhstan and inform citizens about the substances being used.