Almaty air quality map

What information can be seen on the air pollution map for Almaty?

The air pollution map for Almaty is found at the top of the main city page and can be accessed by clicking anywhere on the map picture. Once selected, a new page will open which is dedicated to the air quality in and around the city.

Once the new page has loaded, the viewer will see many coloured discs seemingly dotted across the map of the city. These discs show the location of the monitoring stations which may appear to overlap at first, but once the map is expanded, they will soon begin to separate. These discs also show a number which is the US AQI reading. This is calculated by measuring the levels of up to six of the most prolific air pollutants, and can then be used as a metric when comparing air quality in other cities. It is encouraged by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The other thing of note is the overall colour of the background of the map. This colour reflects the overall air quality in that region. The full explanation of the colours used is given in the legend at the foot of the page.

Looking back at the city page, Almaty was enjoying a period of “Good” air quality in August 2022 with a US AQI reading of just 22. Five of the main pollutants were measured but it is the level of PM2.5 which is used as a benchmark. The recorded level of PM2.5 was 5.2 µg/m³ which is the suggested target figure by the WHO.

Directly beneath the air pollution map for Almaty can be seen the number of stations that provide the data regarding air quality. It also shows the categories into which the contributors fall. Currently, there are 19 stations controlled by six contributors. Two are government operated and the remaining four are operated anonymously.

What other information can be gleaned from the air pollution map for Almaty?

Once the air pollution map for Almaty is opened in full-screen mode, a selection of options will appear on the left-hand side of the screen. These can all be deactivated individually if desired.

The first option shows the position of all the ground-level air monitoring stations in and around the city and its environs. The significance of the colours has been mentioned in the first paragraph. Many discs appear superimposed on top of each other, but these will separate as the map is expanded.

The second choice shows the location of any fires that may be burning locally. In August 2022, there were no fires of significance in the region. The fourth option shows the direction of the prevailing winds and an indication of their strength. If there are any fires burning, this option will help to see in which direction the smoke is likely to blow.

The third choice is perhaps the most dramatic as it can change the entire colour of the map page. Currently, the colour is a greenish/yellow which indicates “Good” to “Moderate” air quality. If some viewers find this colour overwhelming then by deactivating it, the map will revert to a more acceptable set of colours.

Over on the far right-hand side of the screen can be found a table which ranks world cities according to their levels of pollution. Some of these top-ranking cities may come as a surprise as they are not normally thought of as being dirty cities.

Scrolling down the page to below the map can be found a list of the most highly polluted stations. Currently, the station at Almaty - no.3: Alatau ranks as number one with a US AQI reading of 54 which would be classified as “Moderate” air quality.

The next list shows the stations ranked in order of their popularity. The most followed station is the Breeeth! – Egizbaeva station with over 75,000 followers.

Are areas of high pollution shown on the air pollution map for Almaty?

Areas of high pollution can be identified in two main ways. The first would be to look on the map and find the disc with the highest number and darkest colour. But the most straightforward way would be to look below the map and look at the table which lists the most polluting stations in descending order. As stated in the previous paragraph, the most polluted area of the city was in the vicinity of the Almaty - no.3: Alatau station.

Where does all the pollution come from that we see on the air pollution map for Almaty?

It is not stated on the air quality map for Almaty just where the polluted air comes from, however, atmospheric polluting sources can be divided into three main groups: industries, transport, and the private sector, but there is still no accurate data on how much these groups pollute the air. According to the estimated data, the amount of harmful waste released from vehicles exceeds 190,000 tons per year. And it is impossible to calculate how much the smoke emitted from private residences pollutes the air.

Air pollution is the world's greatest environmental threat to human health. Although there are no large industrial facilities in the region, Almaty ranks first in the country in respiratory, endocrine system diseases, blood diseases, cancer and bronchial asthma.

During the analysis of the air in the city, more than a hundred volatile organic compounds known as VOCs were identified. Most of them are carcinogens. VOCs play a key role in creating the near-surface ozone layer, which poisons the lungs of urban plants and animals.

Measures taken by the government to improve the situation include; improving the quality of fuel sold in the city, switching the private sector to gas heating which would significantly reduce the rate of air emissions and replacing the CHP system with gas power. Coal with an ash content of less than 39 per cent should be used.

PM2.5 is used as a benchmark on the air pollution map for Almaty, but what is it?

The main anthropogenic source of particles is vehicles. Internal combustion engines and industrial processes burning solid fuels (coal, lignite, oil), construction, mining, many types of manufacturing (especially cement, ceramics, brick, smelting), and road surface erosion, brake wear and tyre deflation may be one of the immediate reasons for the emergence of PM2.5 in cities. Even agriculture is a source of ammonia, which leads to the formation of secondary PM2.5.