Yerevan is suffocating:
Take Action Before More Lives are Lost
With Air Quality Index (AQI) levels regularly exceeding 300, the air we breathe is toxic, comparable to smoking 20-30 cigarettes a day.
At least 16% of deaths from heart disease are a result of air pollution. Source.
Air pollution levels in Armenia are 9x higher than the WHO safe threshold. Source.
Live AQI Data
0 - 50
Can open your windows and ventilate your home to bring in outdoor air.
51 - 100
Avoid ventilating indoor spaces with outdoor air.
101 - 150
Everyone is at risk for respiratory problems.
The public should greatly reduce outdoor exertion.
Sensitive groups* should avoid all outdoor exertion.
Ventilation is discouraged.
Air purifiers advised.
151 - 200
Only go outside with a mask.
Ventilation is discouraged.
Air purifiers strongly advised.
201 - 300
Only go outside with a mask.
Sensitive groups* should remain indoors.
Ventilation is discouraged.
Air purifiers strongly advised.
300+
Everyone is at high risk of experiencing strong irritation and negative health effects that could trigger cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses.
Remain indoors.
Ventilation is discouraged.
Air purifiers strongly advised.
90% of Yerevan’s air pollution is from transport emissions. Source.
Our population is at risk from:
- Heart attacks and arrhythmias
- Stroke and atherosclerosis
- Asthma & chronic bronchitis
- Lung cancer, COPD, infections
- Dementia and Alzheimer’s
Our children at risk from:
- Brain damage
- Learning disabilities
- Behavioural problems
- Reduced lung growth
- Permanent lung damage
The health damage caused by air pollution costs the economy up to 10.6% of GDP annually. Source.
Why is it so much worse in Yerevan?
Yerevan's severe air pollution, particularly during winter, is caused by a combination of its specific geographic features, human activities, and inadequate urban planning.
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Widespread removal of catalytic converters (illegal in developed countries) has led to excessive emissions of toxic gases.
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Yerevan sits in a valley, this traps air pollution, especially during winter when cold air gets trapped under a layer of warmer air.
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Surrounding areas have been subject to significant deforestation, reducing the barriers to pollutants.
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Factories and power plants release pollutants with an extreme lack of modern emission regulations.
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Unregulated construction sites and mining produce dust with no suppression measures.
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Low-quality fuels and waste used for heating. The Sovetashen landfill emits toxic fumes constantly.
For every 10 µg/m³ increase in PM2.5 concentration, there is a 16% increase in all-cause mortality. Source.
Our demands
There are currently no legal standards for PM2.5 (fine particulate matter) in Armenia, despite Armenia surpassing the WHO air quality guideline by 9 times .
Establishing acceptable concentration limits is essential to safeguarding public health and improving air quality.
1. Comprehensive Air Quality Monitoring and Public Transparency
Armenia currently lacks professional-grade air quality monitors commonly used by other countries to guide effective air quality management. While the government has initiated plans to acquire two such devices, with an additional three to follow, this falls short of recommended standards. For urban areas, it is generally advised to have one monitor per 10–20 km², meaning Yerevan, with its size, would ideally need at least 20 monitors.
This need is particularly pressing in Yerevan due to its diverse topography, mixed land use, and varying traffic patterns, which lead to significant disparities in air quality across the city.
Equally important is ensuring that the data collected by these monitors is accessible to the public. Transparency in air quality data not only helps individuals take informed precautions to safeguard their health but also enables calibration of lower-cost sensors, expanding coverage and enhancing monitoring efforts nationwide.
2. Protect the Vulnerable and Issue Air Quality Warnings
Equip schools, hospitals, and public spaces with air purifiers to shield children, the elderly, and the sick—those most at risk from the harmful effects of air pollution. In addition, the government should issue public health advisories when pollution levels exceed safe limits, encouraging people to stay indoors during hazardous periods.
For example, in the European Union, public warnings are often issued when PM2.5 levels exceed 50 µg/m³ over a 24-hour period, with stricter measures taken as levels increase. In cities like Paris and London, high pollution days are accompanied by government recommendations to limit outdoor activities, especially for vulnerable groups. A similar system in Armenia would help protect public health during severe pollution episodes.
3. Vehicle Emission Standards
All cars must have a catalytic converter and enforce penalties for non-compliance.
Implement mandatory emission testing, targeting the oldest and most polluting vehicles.
Make the city center an Ultra Low Emission Zone. Vehicles will need to meet specific emissions and safety standards to drive in the city center.
4. Public Transportation
Increase the efficiency and frequency of public transport to reduce car dependency.
The chief of the Consumer Advisory Center stated that Armenia's public transport was the worst in the entire post-USSR. Since Armenia’s independence in 1991, Armenia has only added one extra line to the metro system (1996).
Adding more metro lines to highly populated areas is crucial.
5. Proper Waste Handling
The Sovetashen landfill was not originally designed or constructed to meet any recognized standards and fails to comply with international, technical, environmental, or sanitary requirements.
It functions solely as a garbage accumulation site and has been plagued by frequent self-combustion and fires in recent years.
These fires release toxic substances, including dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and other harmful pollutants, severely compromising air quality. Immediate action is needed to address this issue.
6. Afforestation and Green Spaces
More green spaces within the city and massive afforestation projects around Yerevan.
In 2024, Yerevan launched a tree replacement program, resulting in the removal of perennial trees in the city center. These were replaced with young, smaller trees that, due to their size and limited foliage, are unable to effectively absorb dust. It is crucial to prioritize planting foliage-rich trees that can provide year-round environmental benefits.
7. Industrial and Construction Regulation
Impose and enforce strict pollution limits on factories and industrial facilities. For example, a bitumen and petroleum lubricant plant built only two years ago does not meet safety norms.
Require construction sites and mining operations to implement dust suppression systems.
Known carcinogens like asbestos are still used in roof slates in Armenia, despite being banned almost worldwide since the 2000s. Asbestos fibres in the air are deadly and must become a banned substance, with the appropriate disposal infrastructure.
8. Phase Out Mining for Sustainable Industries
Around 70% of Armenia's forests are degraded, a direct result of mining. Mining activities worsen air quality, and leave fewer trees behind to absorb pollutants.
Hovhannes Martirosyan, Head of Armenia's Environmental and Subsoil Inspection, reported during a 2024 press conference that atmospheric air protection violations caused 2.36 billion drams in damages.
The mining sector contributes 3% to Armenia's GDP, yet test samples taken near mining operations in four Armenian provinces have revealed significant heavy metal pollution and high concentrations of toxins in local residents. This contamination persists for decades.
The long-term welfare costs will likely surpass the sector's contribution to GDP, which raises serious questions about the sustainability of this approach.
