Air Without Filters: Why Catalytic Converters Don’t Save Almaty About Cars and More…

Catalytic converters have saved some cities from air pollution, and that is no exaggeration. Catalytic converters, commonly known simply as “catalysts,” became an almost revolutionary invention and played an important role in improving air quality.

A comprehensive and consistent policy implemented by the city administration has virtually eliminated severe air pollution in New York — today, the annual average concentration of PM2.5 in Almaty is 200–300% higher than in New York. Catalytic converters were an important part of this effort and significantly accelerated the reduction of vehicle emissions in the city. Catalytic converters were first introduced into the automotive industry in the mid-1970s.

Catalytic converters are devices used in vehicle exhaust systems to reduce harmful emissions. They play an important role in minimizing air pollution by converting toxic gases and pollutants in engine exhaust into less harmful substances before they are released into the atmosphere.

Since the 1990s, catalytic converters have become mandatory in vehicle manufacturing, including in developing countries. Properly functioning catalytic converters neutralize more than 90% of pollutants contained in vehicle exhaust.

Despite this technological breakthrough of the last century, polluting vehicles remain a serious problem in Almaty. Why has this happened? Let’s take a closer look.

We spoke with employees of auto repair shops that specialize in repairing and servicing exhaust systems, including catalytic converters. According to their estimates, at least 40% of vehicles in the city do not have catalytic converters. Some auto repair shops gave even higher estimates, putting the figure at 70%.

According to preliminary estimates, around half of the vehicles on Almaty’s roads are operating without functioning catalytic converters.

After examining the issue in detail, we identified the following causes and underlying factors behind the catalytic converter problem.

Reasons why people drive without catalytic converters:

1. Wear and tear: causes and replacement costs
2. Selling catalytic converters for their precious metals

Underlying factors contributing to the problem:

• Socioeconomic conditions
• Ineffective vehicle inspections
• Lack of an effective mechanism for identifying high-emission vehicles

Let us examine each of these causes and underlying factors in more detail to understand how they affect the situation and what can be done to address the problem.

I: Wear and tear: causes and replacement costs

Under normal operating conditions, the average lifespan of a catalytic converter is 10–12 years (or 150,000–250,000 kilometers), after which it needs to be replaced. Several factors affect its lifespan, including driving conditions (mountainous or flat terrain), the regularity of vehicle maintenance, and weather conditions.

These factors are particularly relevant in Almaty. The city is located in mountainous terrain, which places additional strain on vehicle catalytic converters. In addition, many car owners do not always follow recommended maintenance schedules, further exacerbating the problem. As a result, the combination of these factors makes the timely replacement and proper disposal of catalytic converters an important issue for the city.

According to the auto service employees we interviewed, poor fuel quality at the city’s gas stations also plays a significant role in catalytic converter deterioration, leading to more frequent replacement. High levels of sulfur and lead in gasoline can indeed damage catalytic converters by clogging their pores and degrading the precious-metal coating.

However, there is no recent and reliable independent research on fuel quality in Almaty available in the public domain. In 2017, Akmaral Kalmuratova, Director of the ORGANIC Independent Center for Petroleum Product Expertise, stated that Kazakhstan lacked a comprehensive and reliable system for checking fuel quality at gas stations. She also noted that products from Kazakhstan’s mini-refineries — oil refineries with a capacity of up to one million tonnes per year — did not meet established standards and required thorough quality control. Due to non-compliance of fuel produced by some mini-refineries, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Energy began revoking production certificates from certain mini-refineries in early 2024.

To better understand the fuel quality situation in the city, Almaty Air Initiative is conducting an independent study as part of its work. We will share the results of this research in the near future.

Because catalytic converters have a limited lifespan, they need to be replaced in a timely manner. Replacing a catalytic converter at an auto repair shop in Almaty can cost between KZT 85,000 and KZT 1 million. The cost varies significantly depending on the country of manufacture of the new converter and the number of converters required. Timely replacement is essential for maintaining efficient vehicle operation and ensuring that exhaust emissions comply with environmental requirements.

Official statistics show that 58% of all registered vehicles in Almaty are more than 10 years old, with more than half of these vehicles being over 20 years old. In the Almaty Region, three out of five vehicles are more than 20 years old. Against this background, the problem of outdated and ineffective catalytic converters becomes particularly acute.

The D.V. Sokolsky Institute of Fuel, Catalysis and Electrochemistry, which develops catalytic converter technologies, says it has a locally manufactured solution to the problem. The Almaty-based institute has developed metal-based catalytic converters — unlike competitors’ ceramic-based products — containing chromium and aluminum alloys and a precious-metal coating, including platinum, which enables effective exhaust gas treatment.

The institute has also compared the performance of its catalytic converters with competing products. According to its Deputy Director General, their converters perform just as effectively. The institute’s catalytic converters are offered at approximately KZT 140,000, significantly less than original parts from manufacturers in neighboring countries, which cost around KZT 160,000–180,000 and above. However, cheaper alternatives are also available on the market, including on Kaspi, where Chinese-made catalytic converters can be found for KZT 60,000–65,000. The institute also reported that its products are actively being introduced to the market and are already used by various auto repair shops in the region.

II: Selling catalytic converters for their precious metals

Some vehicle owners sell their catalytic converters because they contain precious metals — palladium, platinum, and rhodium, with a combined content of around 4–11 grams. A vehicle can operate without a catalytic converter, as the component does not affect its basic driving performance or power. However, removing it increases pollutant emissions from the exhaust. Some of these pollutants can also enter the vehicle cabin and be noticeable as odors, which, according to Alexander Lyutiy, an administrator at the Avtovykhlop service center, can affect the driver’s health.

The high value of catalytic converters has created an entire industry around their collection, encouraging vehicle owners to sell them to specialized buyers. On olx.kz, there are more than 100 listings in Almaty alone offering to purchase catalytic converters. Most are posted by various auto repair shops that offer to remove the catalytic converter without repairing it or replacing it with a new one. Instead, these services offer to install a lambda sensor emulator.*

Lambda sensor emulator — a device that adjusts the signal from the downstream oxygen sensor when a vehicle’s catalytic converter has failed or been removed. It can be mechanical, in the form of a metal spacer, or electronic, in the form of an emulator module.

Our team called the numbers listed in these advertisements, posing as potential customers in order to study the sales process in detail and gain a deeper understanding of the situation. We found that a catalytic converter that retains its original factory weight can be sold for up to KZT 30,000 per kilogram.

More specialized exhaust-system repair shops offer to install flame arresters or new catalytic converters, but this is relatively rare. Employees at several auto repair shops told us that entire taxi fleets had approached them to remove catalytic converters from new vehicles in bulk for resale. Similar requests have also come from drivers of rental vehicles.

The high precious-metal content and ease of resale also create opportunities for criminal activity. Catalytic converters are stolen within the city and during vehicle imports — either in transit or by sellers in the exporting country. There have also been cases in Almaty where dishonest auto repair shop employees removed catalytic converters from unsuspecting customers’ vehicles. Catalytic converter theft is a global problem and is by no means unique to Kazakhstan.

Because catalytic converters do not significantly affect a vehicle’s driving performance, their absence may not be immediately noticeable. In addition to causing substantial environmental harm, a missing or malfunctioning catalytic converter can negatively affect the engine and other vehicle systems and may increase fuel consumption.

Exceeding vehicle emissions limits can also result in a fine under Article 334 of Kazakhstan’s Code of Administrative Offenses, currently starting at 10 MCI, or KZT 36,920, as well as a requirement to restore the catalytic converter to working condition. The issue therefore not only harms the environment but can also create a range of problems for vehicle owners and their cars.

Employees at catalytic converter collection points told us that converters collected through various channels are then sent to recycling plants in Europe, where precious metals are extracted. This is where the life cycle of catalytic converters from Kazakhstan’s vehicles comes to an end.

Underlying factors contributing to the problem

• Socioeconomic factors

In countries with higher standards of living, heavily polluting vehicles are less common. This is partly because vehicles in these countries are typically replaced before their catalytic converters reach the end of their service life.

In countries with lower levels of economic well-being, there is an active grey market for older vehicles. In many cases, these vehicles — often imported from abroad — already have worn-out or removed catalytic converters, further contributing to air pollution. Due to financial constraints and limited awareness, owners of such vehicles may also be unable or unwilling to install new catalytic converters.

According to UNDP data, 80% of used passenger vehicles exported from wealthier countries — including Europe, the United States, and Japan — do not meet minimum safety and environmental standards in the exporting countries. These vehicles subsequently end up in lower-income countries in South America, Africa, and Asia, including Kazakhstan. In addition to increasing the risk of road accidents, these vehicles contribute to air pollution and have a significant impact on climate change.

• Ineffective vehicle inspections

Annual vehicle inspections are mandatory in Kazakhstan for vehicles more than seven years old and are intended to identify unsafe and malfunctioning vehicles, including high-emission vehicles.

The poor quality of vehicle inspections in Kazakhstan is no secret. As we previously reported in our study on vehicle inspections, many inspection centers do not conduct actual physical inspections, making it difficult to identify vehicle defects, including missing or worn-out catalytic converters. Passing a vehicle inspection using photographs alone is still a reality in Kazakhstan.

As a result, the main mechanism intended to keep high-emission vehicles off the road fails to perform its function: outdated and heavily polluting vehicles remain in use, and the situation worsens year after year, creating a cumulative effect.

• Lack of an effective mechanism for identifying vehicles that exceed emissions standards

Nineteen environmental checkpoints outside the city selectively stop vehicles for emissions testing, primarily targeting older cars. This creates a kind of “poverty tax,” since older vehicles are more likely to exceed permissible emissions limits.

At the same time, high-emission vehicles operating within the city that do not pass through these checkpoints remain unchecked, creating an inequitable system. Given that around 400,000 vehicles enter Almaty every day, checking only a few dozen vehicles at environmental checkpoints is a drop in the ocean.

Moreover, even newer vehicles with their catalytic converters removed may exceed permissible emissions levels, yet these vehicles are generally not inspected at environmental checkpoints.

International experience

Catalytic converters were introduced into the automotive industry in the mid-1970s. Initial demand for these devices was driven by growing awareness of environmental pollution and the introduction of regulatory measures such as the Clean Air Act in the United States.

The Act required significant reductions in vehicle emissions to improve air quality. Catalytic converters were developed to meet these new standards by converting pollutants such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides into less harmful substances such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and nitrogen.

The introduction of catalytic converters had a significant impact on reducing air pollution in many countries around the world. In the United States, for example, their widespread use contributed to a noticeable reduction in smog and urban air pollution. European countries experienced similar improvements, particularly reductions in nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons.

The widespread use of catalytic converters was made possible by strict emissions standards. By the 1990s, governments around the world had introduced requirements for new vehicles to be equipped with catalytic converters in order to comply with emissions standards.

Challenges and successes in developing countries

Despite significant progress in developed countries in addressing air pollution, developing countries continue to face serious challenges. High implementation and maintenance costs, weak enforcement of emissions standards, and the prevalence of older vehicles without catalytic converters create significant barriers. The use of counterfeit or poor-quality catalytic converters further reduces the effectiveness of emissions control.

Nevertheless, some developing countries have made progress in addressing these challenges. Mexico City, home to around 20 million people, is the world’s second-largest city after Tokyo. It is also located in a valley where polluted air tends to become trapped. As a result, the city has long suffered from severe air pollution with significant consequences for public health.

By the 1990s, health problems associated with air pollution in Mexico City had become so serious that the government was forced to take action. Emissions standards were introduced, and vehicles were required to undergo inspections twice a year.

Comprehensive Pollutant Emissions Reduction Program (Programa Integral de Reducción de Emisiones Contaminantes — PIREC): During the second half of 2014, a pilot project was implemented under the program to provide free catalytic converter replacements for passenger vehicles more than 15 years old. A total of 30,221 catalytic converters were installed. Catalytic converters were also replaced in newer vehicles where faults had been identified during vehicle inspections, accounting for another 14,703 units. Seven companies and 126 auto repair shops participated in the project. The program was accompanied by stronger vehicle inspection requirements.

Introducing catalytic converters and ensuring their proper operation became an important part of Mexico City’s efforts to improve air quality, although this was only one component of a comprehensive air pollution control program.

We summarized the key elements of this long-term program:

1/ Monitoring and forecasting:

• The city established an extensive air quality monitoring system and emissions inventory, enabling authorities to inform the public and develop effective pollution-control measures.
• Since 2017, an air quality forecasting system has provided warnings of high pollution levels 24 hours in advance.

2/ Technical measures:

• Removal of lead from gasoline
• Mandatory catalytic converters in vehicles
• Reduction of sulfur content in diesel fuel
• Closure of oil refineries and transition to natural gas

3/ Transport control:

• Stronger vehicle emissions monitoring using technology and surveillance programs
• Introduction of hybrid and electric taxis and improvements to public transport, including expansion of the Metrobús network
• Introduction of the Ecobici bike-sharing program and pedestrian zones

4/ Energy-efficient buildings and renewable energy:

• Installation of solar panels and water-heating systems in government buildings

5/ Waste management and agricultural burning:

• A program to improve solid waste collection and disposal, including the potential use of landfill gas for energy generation
• Regulation of agricultural waste burning through preventive measures and the creation of buffer zones between agricultural and forest areas

These measures enabled Mexico City to significantly reduce air pollution. As a result, the city received international recognition and was awarded a C40 award for improvements in air quality. This recognition was associated with significant progress in reducing emissions of lead, SO₂, CO₂, and PM10.

Recommendations from Almaty Air Initiative

Based on the information collected and a broader review of the literature, we propose the following recommendations for Almaty to address the catalytic converter problem:

• Vehicle inspections: Strengthen the role of vehicle inspections and enforcement of mandatory checks, with particular attention to the presence and proper functioning of catalytic converters. Ensure that inspections are conducted thoroughly and cannot be circumvented through corruption or inadequate inspection practices.
• Education: Launch public awareness campaigns explaining the environmental and health benefits of catalytic converters and the legal consequences of removing them. Provide information on the potential health effects of increased air pollution resulting from catalytic converter removal, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
• Incentives: Introduce subsidies or financial incentives to help vehicle owners replace or repair catalytic converters, particularly for low-income residents.
• Fuel: Ensure that fuel sold in Almaty meets high quality standards, particularly regarding sulfur and lead content, as poor fuel quality can significantly reduce the lifespan and effectiveness of catalytic converters. Regularly monitor and publicly report on the quality of fuel sold in the city, with penalties for suppliers that fail to meet established standards.
• Strengthen requirements for imported vehicles to ensure compliance with Kazakhstan’s environmental standards and prevent the large-scale import of high-emission vehicles into the country.
• Combat organized crime at every stage of illegal activity: from individuals who steal catalytic converters to those involved in their subsequent disposal and recycling.
• Public transport: Invest in improving public transport infrastructure to reduce the number of private vehicles on the roads and thereby lower overall emissions.