Residents of the capital's Promyshlenny microdistrict are complaining about air pollution. According to them, the silicate plant "Ecobeton" has resumed operations, despite official bans and court suspensions. The enterprise continues to emit smoke over residential areas, schools and parks. Meanwhile, local residents believe the fines for violations are merely symbolic and do not deter the owner.
According to ORDA, the silicate plant began operating in 2014 in the Promyshlenny district. From the very start, local residents recorded emissions of dust and gaseous waste, complained about the smell, settling soot and a rise in cases of asthma.
According to preliminary estimates, the air pollution in the area exceeded sanitary standards. Together with the residents, the Astana city administration repeatedly tried to secure the closure of the enterprise. However, up until 2022, the plant continued to operate — despite appeals, media publications and complaints to supervisory authorities.
After the January events of 2022, the situation changed. In March of the same year, the Astana city administration and the Ministry of Ecology secured a court order to suspend the plant's activities. The production workshops were sealed, and the owner was offered an alternative site outside the residential zone, but he refused.
The former akim of the Almaty district, Nurbol Nursagatov, explained at the time that the enterprise posed a threat to residents' health and was subject to mandatory relocation outside the residential area.
By the end of 2024, local residents began to notice smoke from the plant's chimney again. Initially, it appeared at night, and then during the day as well. New residential blocks were built in the area, a school opened 100 metres from the plant, and a children's park is nearby.
There is no sign on the front of the plant building, and the enterprise is not listed on maps or in directories. According to the 2GIS app, the premises are officially vacant. However, a security guard at the checkpoint confirmed that the plant is operational, and journalists recorded the movement of cars and lorries on the site.
On 13 July 2025, residents of the Asqat residential complex, located approximately 600 metres from the plant, held a meeting with the participation of the district akimat. The deputy akim of the Saraishyk district, Kuanysh Orynbek, confirmed that the enterprise is operating.
"They won in the Supreme Court. On behalf of the akimat — we want to move it, so we offered them alternative plots. But they didn't agree: whether it's that the 'utilities' don't suit them, or the location itself. They didn't show up for the repeat court hearing on 18 March. And they didn't show up on 10 July. On 23 July there will be another hearing; the construction department has already filed the claim. We are not being inactive. We agree that this is a very big problem. We constantly fine them for violations," said the deputy akim.
In turn, local residents stated that fines of 100,000 tenge are ineffective: the enterprise continues to operate without serious consequences.
"They can pay fines like that as many times as they like; it's peanuts to them. Even if they pay a million. It's profitable for them; they can keep working. Why, if we don't comply with some laws or regulations, is there a quick way to deal with us, but not with them? Our children are breathing all this in here," one of the residents protested.
Following the meeting, residents and representatives of the akimat agreed to set up an initiative group that will attend court hearings and participate in preparing an appeal to central government authorities.
It also emerged that the founder and director of the Ecobeton LLP is Gaziz Aitkulov. It is noted that the plant is formally classified as a small enterprise with a workforce of up to five people.