Residents of Atyrau are complaining about a thick haze and a sharp, unpleasant smell, which is particularly noticeable at night and in the early morning. Laboratory tests have confirmed that levels of certain pollutants in the air exceed permitted limits, and the authorities have begun investigating possible sources of the pollution.
WHAT HAPPENED
Residents of the city are reporting on social media a sharp smell that can be detected even indoors. City dwellers are also posting footage of night-time Atyrau shrouded in a thick haze.
The head of the Department of Ecology for Atyrau Region, Askar Zhusipov, said at a briefing that specialists are recording air pollution mainly at night and in the early morning. Laboratory tests and monitoring data have confirmed the exceedances, reports ATYRAU.TODAY.
In particular, during the night-time hours, specialists recorded levels of aromatic hydrocarbons several times above the maximum permissible concentrations (MPCs).
WHY THE POLLUTION IS LINKED TO NIGHT-TIME HOURS
It is noted that at night, wind speed drops to 0–5 m/s, meaning pollutants may not disperse and instead accumulate over the city. During the day, wind speed reaches 20–30 m/s.
Ecologists have also drawn attention to the wind direction. From 31 August to 7 September, it blew predominantly from the south and south-east. One of the facilities located in that direction is the Atyrau Oil Refinery (AOR).
However, it is not yet possible to state definitively that the AOR is responsible for all the recorded exceedances. At present, the inspection is ongoing, and the results will be reported at a later stage.
WHICH SOURCES OF POLLUTION ARE BEING CHECKED
During the night of 6 September, specialists recorded elevated levels of pollutants in the ambient air. Following this, the akim of Atyrau Region, Bolat Akchulakov, instructed the relevant services to check all possible sources of pollution.
Specialists from the Department of Sanitary and Epidemiological Control carried out additional measurements and checked potential sources. Bolat Akchulakov himself visited the evaporation fields at "Sasyk Sai" and the AOR evaporation station.
At an operational meeting with representatives of government bodies and the oil refinery, monitoring data, the environmental situation and possible causes of the deterioration in air quality were discussed.
WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE INSPECTION OF THE AOR
Separately, it was reported that a comprehensive inspection of the AOR was being prepared in light of the MPC exceedances and complaints about the unpleasant smell. Independent experts, technologists, ecologists and specialists from the sanitary and epidemiological service are expected to be involved in the inspection.
Earlier, following another inspection, an administrative fine of 520 million tenge was imposed on the plant for violations recorded in January. The AOR is currently contesting this decision in court.
In addition, the Department of Ecology for Atyrau Region has demanded that the timeline for the Environmental Performance Improvement Programme be shortened. While modernisation of a number of key facilities, including ELOU-AVT-6 and the evaporation ponds, had previously been planned for completion by 2036, the department is insisting on bringing the deadline forward to 2030.
The process of issuing a comprehensive environmental permit for the AOR has been suspended, and the documents are currently under review.
