On September 7, "International Clean Air Day" was celebrated. It was approved by the UN General Assembly on December 19, 2019.
In Yerevan, atmospheric air pollution with dust and nitrogen dioxide often exceeds the permissible limit concentration.
The main sources of atmospheric air pollution in Yerevan are as follows: construction, transport, mining, degraded lands, Nubarashen landfill site, production, and energy.
According to Yerevan Development Plan for 2023, there are about 400 organizations that cause a negative impact on atmospheric air in Yerevan.
Construction
The analysis of the data published by Yerevan Municipality proves that the construction in the capital gained momentum after 2018.
4,448 building permits, 599 graduation certificates, and 2,023 design permits were issued in 2023.
It can be seen from the graph that the number of graduation acts did not increase along with the increase in building permits. This indicates the problems of issuing and executing building permits.
Along with the increase in construction volume, dust pollution of atmospheric air in Yerevan increased. In order to reduce dust emissions from this sector, Yerevan’s Aldermen’s Council, with its decision N 815 dated on June 27, 2023, confirmed that during the construction of buildings and structures, the developer must organize the covering of the buildings and structures with a net of 180 grams/square meter density corresponding to the height of the construction, in the area of the construction site, ensure the installation of air quality monitoring equipment with access to an online platform, with the possibility of data calibration by the community. Our observations in the capital show that not all developers are properly fulfilling these requirements.
Transport:
According to Yerevan Development Plan for 2023, the number of continuously increasing vehicles in Yerevan makes up around 600,000.
Yerevan Municipality strives to change the transport running on diesel fuel to the transport running on blue fuel. According to Chief Engineer of "Yerevan Bus" CJSC Vardges Papyan, diesel transport makes up 140 units, and blue fuel transport makes up 490. They will get 171 new buses running on blue fuel. The goal is to completely switch to blue fuel to reduce air pollution.
According to the decision 43-N of Yerevan Aldermen’s Council dated on December 26, 2023, the parking fees were increased. One of the goals was to relieve the burden of Kentron administrative district due to the high rent, and to alleviate atmospheric air pollution.
Mining
Mines are a source of atmospheric air pollution. According to the information provided by RA Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure, 14 organizations have been granted soil management rights for the operation of 17 non-metallic mines in Yerevan in 2024.
Basalt, gypsum rock, clay, stone are extracted from the mines. The mines are located in the southern and southeastern parts of Nor Nork administrative district of Yerevan, in the western parts of Ajapnyak administrative district, in the northern parts of Erebuni administrative district, and in Avan. Among the mines, only the Avan quarry is operated in a closed manner.
The soil management contract establishes an obligation for the soil manager to ensure the protection of the subsoil, atmosphere, soil, forests, water and other environmental objects, as well as buildings and other structures from the harmful effects of soil management related works.
This obligation is not fulfilled properly, leaving a huge impact on Yerevan's environment.
Almost all non-metallic mines are located close to residential areas of the city. Mining is carried out in an open manner and is accompanied by significant changes in the relief. The land is degraded, depressions and holes appear, due to which slope processes, landslides, collapses, man-made soils are formed, changes in the formation and distribution of water resources occur and there is a significant pollution of the atmospheric air.
Greening
According to Yerevan Municipality, green areas in Yerevan have increased by 35 hectares during 2022-2023. According to official data, the total area of green areas of Yerevan makes up 6760 hectares, out of which 906.8 hectares are public green areas. According to Yerevan Municipality, green areas in Yerevan increased by 35 hectares during 2022-2023. The green area per person makes up 8.3 square meters.
In 2024, the tree replacement program was launched in Yerevan. Perennial trees in the center of Yerevan were cut down and replaced by new ones, which, being small and lacking foliage, cannot perform a full dust-absorbing function.
"Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center" of RA Ministry of Environment has 45 observation posts and 5 observation stations in Yerevan. According to the data published by this organization, the maximum permissible concentration of dust is exceeded mainly in Kentron, Nor Nork, Ajapnyak, Arabkir and Shengavit administrative districts in Yerevan.
Nubarashen Solid Waste Landfill Site
A source of atmospheric air pollution is Nubarashen solid domestic waste landfill site. It was launched back in the 1950s. 290-320 thousand tons of household waste is transferred to this landfill with an area of 52 hectares. The landfill was not originally designed and built according to any accepted standards, does not meet international or any technical, environmental and sanitary standards and is solely a place for garbage accumulation. It continuously self-combusts, fires have become frequent in the landfill in recent years, which can pollute the atmospheric air with toxic substances, dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls, polyaromatic hydrocarbons and other pollutants.
The landfill site is subject to closure.
September 09, 2024 at 13:49