Air quality in Kazakhstan: where to check and what to do

Short answer. Kazhydromet, the national hydrometeorological service, monitors air quality at 175 posts in 70 localities and runs the AirKZ mobile app ¹. Every day, in a bulletin on the state of the air basin, it lists the cities where "unfavourable meteorological conditions" (НМУ) are expected the next day ². On average, fine particles in Kazakh cities are more than three times the WHO guideline ⁴⁶.

Where can I check air quality right now?

Use the AirKZ app (on the App Store and Google Play), which Kazhydromet's environmental monitoring department operates together with interactive air quality maps ¹. Its network covers 70 localities with 175 monitoring posts and 15 mobile laboratories ¹.

For the day ahead, read Kazhydromet's daily bulletin on the state of the air basin (НМУ) ². The bulletin published on 27 October 2026 read: "28 октября неблагоприятные метеорологические условия ожидаются в городе Костанай, Караганда, Балхаш, Темиртау, Уральск, Актобе, Алматы, Астана" — on 28 October, unfavourable meteorological conditions are expected in Kostanay, Karaganda, Balkhash, Temirtau, Uralsk, Aktobe, Almaty and Astana ². Phaenyx found no official Kazakh page that defines НМУ for the public or says what to do on those days. If your city is on the list, checking AirKZ that day is a simple precaution.

Kazhydromet also publishes, after the fact, the cases of high and extremely high pollution it recorded ³. These are records, not real-time alerts.

What do the index levels mean?

Phaenyx found no official page from Kazhydromet that explains its pollution index levels or their thresholds for the public. Check the readings in AirKZ, and see Air quality index explained for how such indexes usually work.

How polluted is the air on average?

Clearly above the guideline. The population-weighted median of Kazakh cities shows about 18 µg/m³ of PM2.5 (annual mean 2021-2023) ⁴, against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³ ⁶. Nitrogen dioxide is about 3.4 µg/m³ ⁵, under the WHO guideline of 10 µg/m³ ⁶. That NO2 figure is a regional background over roughly 80 km: a busy road or a city centre will be higher.

What should I do on a bad air day, or with smoke or dust?

• Check the day before: look for your city in the daily НМУ bulletin ² and check AirKZ ¹. See Pollution episodes, Sensitive people and polluted air and Children and polluted air.
• Indoors: Phaenyx found no official household advice tied to НМУ days from Kazhydromet. See A clean-air room at home and Masks for smoke and dust.
• Wildfire smoke and dust: see Wildfire smoke and Dust storms.
• Official warnings: see our Kazakhstan alerts page.

A household plan can list who in your home is sensitive to polluted air and which room to keep closed on bad days.

Frequently asked questions

Which app shows air quality in Kazakhstan?

AirKZ, operated by Kazhydromet ¹.

Is there a daily air bulletin in Kazakhstan?

Yes. Kazhydromet's daily bulletin on the state of the air basin lists the cities where unfavourable meteorological conditions (НМУ) are expected the next day ².

Is the air in Kazakhstan polluted?

The median of Kazakh cities shows about 18 µg/m³ of PM2.5, against a WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³ ⁴⁶.

Sources

1. РГП «Казгидромет» — Об экологическом мониторинге — https://www.kazhydromet.kz/ru/ecology/ob-ekologicheskom-monitoringe (accessed 2026-10-27)
2. РГП «Казгидромет» — Ежедневный бюллетень состояния воздушного бассейна (НМУ) — https://www.kazhydromet.kz/ru/ecology/ezhednevnyy-byulleten-sostoyaniya-vozdushnogo-basseyna-nmu (accessed 2026-10-27)
3. РГП «Казгидромет» — Сведения о случаях высокого загрязнения и экстремально высокого загрязнения окружающей среды — https://www.kazhydromet.kz/ru/ecology/svedeniya-o-sluchayah-vysokogo-zagryazneniya-i-ekstremalno-vysokogo-zagryazneniya-okruzhayuschey-sredy (accessed 2026-10-27)
4. Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group (ACAG), Washington University in St. Louis — Surface PM2.5, V6.GL.02.04 (annual mean 2021-2023) — https://sites.wustl.edu/acag/datasets/surface-pm2-5/ (accessed 2026-10-27)
5. Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) — CAMS global reanalysis (EAC4) — https://ads.atmosphere.copernicus.eu/ (accessed 2026-10-27)
6. World Health Organization (WHO) — WHO global air quality guidelines (2021) — https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240034228 (accessed 2026-10-27)