Violations at Construction Sites, Semi-Desert Areas, and Lack of Vegetation: Municipality on Dust Generation in Yerevan

From January to August of this year, a total of 249 records have been made against developers in Yerevan regarding the absence of dust control nets and air quality monitoring equipment at construction sites. This information was shared by Gorik Avetisyan, Deputy Head of the Environmental Protection Department of Yerevan Municipality, in an interview with Armenpress, adding that from September 2023 until the current month, a total of 449 such records have been created, as well as imposed fines. Most of these pertained to the lack of dust control nets.

Avetisyan attributed the high concentration of dust in the air to the city’s location in a semi-desert zone and the scant vegetation cover. “In recent years, anthropogenic factors, particularly related to construction, have also increased. In general, there are three causes for the increase of dust and other gas pollution in Yerevan’s air: transport, construction, and the exploitation of mines adjacent to the capital. With the recent increase in construction rates, the amount of dust has also risen, especially in areas adjacent to construction sites. Consequently, complaints from the residents have increased,” stated the Deputy Head of the Environmental Protection Department.

To address the issue, the municipality has decided to create a monitoring system aimed at measuring dust levels automatically throughout the city, especially in vulnerable areas where construction is ongoing, and then monitoring emissions. According to Avetisyan, construction projects rated as fourth degree of risk in terms of dust emissions have reached 500, and the municipality does not have the necessary resources to continuously monitor these construction sites and document violations. Therefore, last year the community council amended the relevant 2012 decision to require developers to install dust monitoring equipment on-site throughout the construction.

Moreover, the mayor’s decision established the specifications and connection conditions for those devices, after which developers began to install them. Currently, data from these devices are recorded on a single platform, which, according to Avetisyan, allows the municipality to more effectively monitor dust emissions.

The relevant departments continuously monitor the data and if high levels of air pollution are detected at any construction site, specialists immediately organize site inspections. When violations of the Air Protection Law or requirements set forth by the Yerevan Council are detected, records are prepared and fines are imposed.

Avetisyan detailed that during the period following the council’s decision, 140 developers contacted the municipality for clarifications on the timelines and types of monitoring equipment to be installed. Currently, 85 such devices have been installed, with mainly 1 to 2 devices placed at each construction site, depending on the size of the project and the pollution source.

The readings from these devices are also available in the corresponding section of the official website of Yerevan Municipality, where residents can also monitor dust emissions from construction sites in real-time. According to Avetisyan, emissions exceeding the legally established dust levels are rare and short-lived. The municipality's staff respond swiftly to such cases, visiting the relevant construction site to resolve the issue promptly.

The primary aim of the records and fines issued by the municipality is not to ensure a high number, but to change the behavior of developers. According to comparative data from the sensors, a slight positive shift has been observed in this regard compared to 2022,” he concluded.