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The East Kazakhstan region is an industrial-developing, industrial region of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
It is necessary to note, that the updating state of environment and health of the population is appreciably caused by the historical heritage linked to activity of Semipalatinsk nuclear proving ground, and extensive development of economy during the post-Soviet period.

The analysis has shown that at increase industrial production the ecological situation stabilized in the region.
Statistics show that in 2006 emissions from stationary sources of the region are reduced in 116 thousand tons in comparison with 2001. If in 2001, 274,7 thousand tons was thrown out in atmosphere of the region, in 2006 this number made up 157,8 thousand tons.

All these were possible to achieve due to realization of nature protection actions by enterprises of the region and the regional program «Environment preservation of the East Kazakhstan region for 2005-2007».

For the last 5 years, such tendency is also marked in Ust-Kamenogorsk city – there is stable decrease in emissions of pollutants. In 2006 emissions made up 72,7 thousand tons against 111 thousand tons in 2001.

However the great influence on ecological state of the regional centre has not only emissions from the industrial enterprises, but also the whole complex of reasons which are necessary to consider in interrelation. It is the location of Ust-Kamenogorsk city in closed hollow that does not allow pollutants to disperse which were thrown out by the industrial enterprises. Atmospheric air quality in Ust-Kamenogorsk city is in direct dependence on quantity of pollutants thrown out in the atmosphere as well as on weather conditions, namely from repeatability of stagnant air in the atmosphere. Such position promotes occurrence so-called adverse meteorological conditions - AMC.

AMC is forecasted on synoptic situation by the East Kazakhstan hydrometeorology centre on meteorological parameters. Depending on expected pollution conditions three degrees of AMC storm warnings are forecasted:

I degree - is forecasted, if expected excess of concentration of one or several controllable substances is above maximum permissible concentration (MPC).
II degree - is forecasted, if expected excess of concentration of one or several controllable substances is above 3 maximum permissible concentrations.
III degree - is forecasted, if expected excess of concentration of one or several controllable substances is above 5 maximum permissible concentrations.
Analysis of meteorological conditions shows, that the periods with AMC make up 40 % per year that has negative influence on the state of ecological conditions in the city.

These periods are characterized by occurrence so-called temperature inversion observable typically in August-September when there is the significant difference between night and day time temperatures. Such processes do not promote impurity dispersion in the atmospheric air, and under influence of solar radiation there are photochemical reactions as a result of which new chemical combinations can appear which are of higher danger than pollutants thrown out in the atmosphere.
For prevention of air contamination maximum permissible concentration (MPC) of harmful substances in the atmosphere are positioned in the legislative order. For every substance polluting the atmospheric air, single and daily average maximum permissible concentration is positioned. Single maximum permissible concentration is positioned at short-term influence (up to 20 mines) of pollution, and daily average - at constant pollution.

It is necessary to notice, that MPC is applied only to person’s organism though all alive suffers from air contamination.
Atmospheric air quality is characterized also by so-called atmosphere impurity index (AII). On this very index Ust-Kamenogorsk city takes the 8th place among cities of the Republic of Kazakhstan. However the design procedure of AII does not consider specificity of pollutant emissions in Ust-Kamenogorsk city to the full extent. The present technique of AII definition considers only five substances with the highest concentration, polluting the atmosphere that does not reflect a real situation of pollution conditions of the atmospheric air. There are also no methodical instructions on emissions regulation at adverse meteorological conditions.
Now the Ministry for environmental protection conducts the work on preparation of new normative-methodical documents.

The control for atmospheric air quality is conducted by the East Kazakhstan hydrometeorology centre in Ust-Kamenogorsk, Semey, Ridder cities and Glubokoe settlement.

In the regional centre the control for atmospheric air quality is conducted on 5 stationary posts located on Rabochaya Street, Urizkiy Street, Zashita, Novaya Sogra settlement, KSHT. On three posts (PNZ1, PNZ5, PNZ7) the control is conducted round the clock, in three hours on 16 components.
According to supervision of the East Kazakhstan hydrometeorology centre the highest AII are linked to repeatability of stagnation meteors in the atmosphere. The concentration exceeding maximum permissible concentrations was registered both in the afternoon day, and at night.
And, supposition that enterprises emission at night does not confirmed.

The analysis of results of round-the-clock supervision shows, that the greatest repeatability of nitrogen dioxide concentration, exceeding maximum permissible concentration is registered from 16 up to 22 o'clock in the evening.

In annual dynamics the highest monthly average nitrogen dioxide concentration was observed in November, December as it is cold season and steady anticyclone. In the first half-year of 2007 nitrogen dioxide concentration has not exceeded indexes of the similar period of 2006. The highest nitrogen dioxide concentration 1,9 maximum permissible concentration was observed in PNZ-1 (Rabochaya Street, 6).

The average sulphur dioxide concentration for 2006 made up 1,2 maximum permissible concentration.
The Most part of the assays exceeding MPC on sulphur dioxide concentration was observed in the afternoon day. For the first half-year 2007 sulphur dioxide concentration has not varied, 5 air samples in which sulphur dioxide concentration exceeded MPC are revealed.

For control of atmospheric air quality near the industrial enterprises the East Kazakhstan regional akimat gave commission to the environmental protection administration to conduct month round-the-clock controls of atmospheric air state in the regional centre. Sanitary control was conducted at the following enterprises “UMZ” JSC and “TMK” JSC. Samples were taken at 01 one o'clock in the morning on August, 31, excess in 1,17 maximum permissible concentration was fixed on nitrogen dioxide. Concentration of other pollutants (sulphur dioxide, chlorine and chloride hydrogen, carbon oxide) has not exceeded of maximum permissible concentration.
Environment quality depends on different factors, including control area state of industrial enterprises. Experts of Gossanepidnadzor Department VKO control the state of control area near industrial enterprises in Semey city and at 9 industrial enterprises in Ust-Kamenogorsk city. So, measures of administrative influence were taken for unsatisfactory sanitary conditions on territory of surveyed objects except for “UKO” LTD RK.

Every year motor transport has increasing influence on air pollution. There are more than 61 thousand cars only in the regional centre. It is necessary to note, that basically used vehicles have great influence on environment.

Mobile laboratory of the East Kazakhstan hydrometeorology centre supervises pollutants content on the basic highways of the regional centre. Such samples were taken after carrying out «Researches in chemistry of Ust-Kamenogorsk atmosphere», executed with attraction of the Russian scientists. The control for benzpyrene content on Kazgidromet network is carried out only in our city.

Basic air pollution in large cities as well as and in the region is caused by emissions of nonferrous metallurgy and power system enterprises. Change of ecological situation is impossible without introduction of "purer" technologies and modern manufactures at the enterprises.
So, Haldor-Topse was installed at “Kazzinc” UK MK JSC to be reduced emissions of pollutants in the atmosphere of Ust-Kamenogorsk city for 31 000 tons per year. 4,9 billion tenge was spent for realization of this project.

The long-term plan of “Kazzinc” JSC development for 2006-2010 at the Ust-Kamenogorsk metallurgical complex “Kazzinc” JSC provides introduction of progressive technologies, allowing to reduce emissions and resets of pollutants in environment. Basic of them are manufacture of lead and copper by autoclave technologies. By 2009 “Kazzinc” JSC plans to construct copper-smelting electrolysis factory with productivity of 70 thousand tons of cathode copper per year. Introduction of this very technology will reduce emissions of lead and sulphur dioxide considerably. As a result of implementing the program annual emission of lead will decrease by 32 % in relation to 2006, emission of sulphur dioxide will decrease by 20 % to norm of 2006 and make up 22 thousand tons per year. Cost of the project is 352,6 million US dollars.

All large metallurgical enterprises located in Ust-Kamenogorsk city are certificated by international standards ISO-14001.
In Semey city air pollution is fixed exclusively on dust as a result of emissions of solid substances of small boiler-houses and factory of Semeizement JSC. Here is observed the stabilization of ecological conditions on pollutant emissions – indexes of 2006 have not exceeded emissions of 2005.

Recently with increase of industrial production and the population well-being the influence of motor transport on environment state has considerably increased.
Automobile gases are mix of about 200 chemical elements and junctions. Automobile drives evolve about half of total of hydrocarbons thrown out in the environment, 60 % of all carbon oxide, about 40 % of all nitrogen oxides. Emissions from motor transport have great influence because of the fact that transport streams concentrate in places with high density of population and emissions remain in low layers of the atmosphere, where there is bad condition for dispersion. Ozone is formed in atmospheric air under influence of sunlight. Collecting of this substance in low layers of the atmosphere has bad influence on organism: it causes cough, dizziness, fatigue. Ozone is the strongest oxidizing agent: its content in air (on volume) only 1·10-5 %, it destroys gum, metals, reacts with hydrocarbons, forming dangerous substances.

Benzpyrene is the most dangerous pollutant from motor transport. Collecting in organism of a person in critical concentration, it can stimulate various serious diseases.
More than one and half kilogramme of solids enters in the atmosphere from every car; it is dust from breakage of gum shoe brake and coupling disks of cars, products of scuff of a surface of roads in addition.

In this connection, the role of green plantings considerably increases in purification of air of cities. Plants capture carbon dioxide and evolve oxygen. Average tree for 24 hours reduces so much oxygen, how many it is necessary for breath of three persons.
Hot asphalt, burning hot iron roofs of houses form streams of warm air lifting particles of dust keeping them in air for a long time. Above trees on the contrary, there are downflows of air as the surface of leaves is cooler than asphalt and iron. Dust carried away by bottom up air flows, subsides on leaves. Green plantings refine air from industrial and exhaust gases besides they capture from air not only carbon dioxide, but also charcoal, therefore it is necessary to increase the areas of landscape gardening zones in industrial cities.

One more problem of motor transport increasing is noise nuisance. Noise has negative influence on hearing, and cause more gross infringements of health - dizziness, headaches, raised fatigue, irritability and nervousness. Noise in big cities reduces life of the person on 8-12 years.
Creation of new traffic intersections, site development in the left-bank part of the city, gardening all these will solve the above mentioned problems.
Ecological literacy of the population is of great importance in stabilization of ecological conditions. Carried out sociological researches of different age groups of the regional centre have shown, that the population considers environmental factor to be the only one that has a great influence on their health. City dwellers are not interested in active leisure that improves the state of health of the population. Recreational opportunities of Ust-Kamenogorsk city are limited. Three parks functioning at present (about 27 hectares) cannot satisfy the needs of citizens in rest.

Creation of rest parkland in the regional centre can really improve the ecological and reduce load on environment.
For this purpose the East Kazakhstan regional maslikhat approved the ecological program «Environment Preservation of the East Kazakhstan region for 2005-2007», developed on the basis of the conducted scientific analysis of ecological state VKO. Now the regional program «Environment preservation for 2007-2010» is under development. It is formed the register of ecological problems of the region included in the common Republican register; suggestions are made in the project of the branch program «Environment preservation of the Republic of Kazakhstan for 2007-2010».