Drivers are being fined en masse due to exhaust emissions in Almaty
Tengrinews.kz — Since the beginning of 2026, specialists in Almaty have inspected more than 116,000 vehicles for compliance with environmental standards, citing to the Almaty Department of Ecology and Environment.
As a result, more than 13,000 vehicles were found to exceed permissible levels of exhaust toxicity and smoke density, reports Tengri Auto.
According to the city administration, monitoring is conducted at 19 stationary environmental posts located at the main entrances to Almaty. During the first half of the year, specialists performed more than 116,000 measurements.
Based on the results of the inspections, 13,092 cases of exceeding pollutant content and smoke level standards were recorded. According to the Almaty Police Department, administrative fines totaling 391,719,190 tenge were imposed for these violations in the first half of 2026.
In addition, from April to June, Eco Almaty LLP, together with the Police Department and the Department of Ecology, conducted raids using mobile environmental laboratories.
During this period, 2,836 vehicles were inspected. Violations of environmental standards were identified in 714 of them, including:
gasoline engines — 266;
diesel engines — 446;
gas-powered engines — 2.
Separately, specialists re-inspected Almaty's bus fleets. From April 1 to June 30, 2,591 buses underwent inspection. Exceedances of environmental standards were found in 509 buses, of which:
97 were diesel-powered;
412 were gas-powered.
As a reminder, a pilot stage of the LEZ (Low Emission Zone) was launched in Almaty this year. It began on April 28 and will run until December 31, 2026. During this period, drivers will not face movement restrictions in the LEZ, nor will they be charged or fined.
What drivers need to know
The city administration stated that work on the project is still ongoing. The final boundaries are expected to be published following official approval.
Violations within the LEZ are expected to be recorded using the "Sergek" intelligent video monitoring system. Owners of vehicles with low environmental ratings are advised to closely monitor their vehicle's technical condition. However, no restrictions are planned during the pilot stage.