Kazakhstan declares Kentau Industrial Zone as environmental emergency area until 2075The Kentau Industrial Zone near the city of Kentau in the Turkestan region has been declared as an environmental emergency area until 2075, citing decades of pollution and hazardous conditions linked to historical mining operations.According to an order signed by Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nysanbayev, the 900-hectare zone north of Kentau will carry the emergency designation until January 1, 2075."The territory of the Kentau Industrial Zone in the Turkistan region, covering 900 hectares, is hereby declared an environmental emergency zone. (…) The status will remain in effect until 2075,” the order says.Under the order, the Turkistan regional administration has been instructed to impose strict controls over access to and movement within the area, ban the construction and expansion of industrial and other facilities unrelated to emergency response or essential services, and evacuate any residents from nearby areas deemed hazardous to human life. Authorities must also provide relocated individuals with temporary or permanent housing.The document further bans the operation of facilities deemed environmentally hazardous, as well as the operation of health resorts and recreational sites. It also restricts any activities that may threaten the health of humans, wildlife or ecosystems.Although the designated zone itself is currently uninhabited, environmental studies conducted in 2024 by the health and ecology ministries confirmed that pollution from the site continues to impact the health of Kentau residents. Officials reported dangerous levels of air pollution, elevated concentrations of heavy metals in the soil, and deteriorated water quality.The area’s environmental degradation is largely attributed to the Achisay Polymetallic Plant, which operated extensively from the 1950s through the 1990s. The nearby polymetallic mines produced lead, zinc and other metals, leaving behind a toxic legacy. (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX