Almaty Air Initiative Campaign: Vehicle Emissions Testing

Vehicle emissions are one of the main causes of poor air quality in Almaty. According to the Administrative Police, nearly 600,000 vehicles are registered in the city. “Sergek” system data shows approximately 400,000 vehicles enter Almaty daily. However, emissions are monitored at only 19 eco-posts, each checking around 50 vehicles per day—insufficient to cover the full traffic flow.

Another issue is the low effectiveness of technical inspections. Our study shows that emission control is nearly absent and many vehicles operate without catalytic converters. Without proper inspections, drivers cannot confirm their vehicles meet environmental standards.

Thus, drivers risk fines for exceeding emission limits but cannot reliably measure their vehicles’ emissions. If penalties are enforced, effective preventative measures—like proper inspections—must also be in place.

Free Emission Testing: Improving Air Quality Together

We launched a campaign for vehicle owners to test emissions for free, allowing drivers to check their emissions without any risk of penalties.

In partnership with the “Renaissance Plus” laboratory (also operating at eco-posts), we conducted emissions measurements at several city locations. Importantly, results are published anonymously, not recorded in any database, and are not reported to authorities.

What Does Exceeding Limits Mean?

Carbon Monoxide (CO): A colorless, odorless toxic gas produced by incomplete fuel combustion. Excess CO indicates inefficient combustion—caused by issues with crankcase ventilation, air filter, engine idle speed, fuel pressure, or catalytic converter failure.

Hydrocarbons (CH): Organic compounds from unburned fuel. High CH levels may point to fuel injection system issues, oil consumption, ignition problems, or lack of a working catalytic converter.

Exhaust Gas Measurement Results:
During the study, exhaust gases were measured in 51 vehicles manufactured between 1988 and 2022. The results showed the following:

33 out of 51 vehicles (65%) exceeded the permissible emission limits, including:

• 23 vehicles exceeded the carbon monoxide (CO) content;
• 23 vehicles exceeded the hydrocarbon (CH) content.

Testing Methods & Standards

Gasoline and LPG vehicles:

• CO and CH measured with a gas analyzer.

Diesel vehicles:

• Opacity (smoke level) used to assess combustion efficiency.

As of January 1, 2024, the new standard ST RK 1433-2023 is enforced:

• Gasoline vehicles are now checked for both CO and CH (previously CO only).

Vehicle ecological class is determined by emissions:

For exceeding established pollutant emission limits, a fine is provided under Article 334 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Kazakhstan (CAO RK). The amount of the fine starts from 10 MCI (monthly calculation indices), which currently amounts to 36,920 tenge.

Reasons for the high number of vehicles exceeding the limits:

Old vehicle fleet
The majority of the city’s vehicle fleet consists of old cars, many of which do not meet modern environmental standards and have high levels of pollutant emissions.

Low driver awareness and environmental consciousness
Many drivers lack sufficient information about the impact of emissions on the environment and their own health, which reduces their motivation for regular maintenance and vehicle inspections.

Lack of catalytic converters
As previously mentioned, many vehicles operate without catalytic converters, which significantly increases emission levels. Read more in our material.

Lack of control through vehicle inspections
The current vehicle inspection system is ineffective in controlling emissions. Read more about this in our previous study.

Import of vehicles that do not meet standards
Vehicles imported into the country often do not comply with modern environmental standards, which also contributes to the increase in the number of polluting vehicles on the roads.

Conclusions:

As expected, the share of vehicles exceeding emission limits increases with the age of the vehicle. A significant portion of vehicles exceeding the limits were not equipped with catalytic converters. Some drivers have flame arresters or resonators installed instead of catalytic converters. Despite their outward similarity, these parts serve entirely different functions and do not reduce emission levels.

Measurement results indicate the need to improve the exhaust control system. Increasing drivers’ awareness of the importance of complying with environmental standards not only contributes to improving air quality but also creates a healthier and more sustainable environment for future generations.