Yerevan Mayor Tigran Avinyan recently warned residents of potential air quality deterioration in the coming colder months, attributing much of the issue to large-scale fires and household waste burning. However, this statement follows a pattern of official assurances that contradict independent monitoring data, which show persistent exceedances of safe pollution thresholds. As of November 24, 2025, real-time air quality readings indicate a moderate to unhealthy index of 148, with PM2.5 levels at 63 µg/m³ and PM10 at 72 µg/m³, both well above the World Health Organization (WHO) daily guidelines of 15 µg/m³ for PM2.5 and 45 µg/m³ for PM10.
Avinyan’s comments echo earlier municipal reports claiming improvements. In March 2025, the Yerevan Municipality cited PM2.5 at 91 µg/m³ and PM10 at 37 µg/m³, describing these as “within norms” based on Hydrometeorological Center data. Yet, independent sources like IQAir and AQI.in recorded far higher averages throughout 2024 and into 2025, with annual PM2.5 levels reaching five times the WHO limit in some periods. For context, Yerevan’s air quality index peaked at 430 in late 2024, over eight times the WHO safe threshold of 50, prompting widespread social media concern and highlighting the gap between official narratives and on-the-ground realities.
Independent environmental monitoring, including from the Armenian NGO Ecolur, identifies multiple pollution drivers beyond household practices. Key contributors include:
Recurring fires at the Nubarashen dumpsite:
Yerevan’s largest landfill, operational since the 1950s and spanning 52 hectares, receives 1,000 to 1,200 tons of unsorted waste daily, including plastics, medical refuse, and organic material that generates flammable methane. Fires here, such as the major blaze in October 2025 that required 1,400 tons of water and 900 truckloads of soil to extinguish, release toxic substances like dioxins and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. These incidents have pushed dust levels 1.1 to 2.4 times above permissible limits in nearby districts such as Erebuni and Shengavit. Similar events in August and September 2025 further degraded air quality during peak urban activity.
Construction and urban development:
Dust from unregulated construction sites in districts like Kentron, Nor Nork, and Ajapnyak frequently exceeds norms, despite a 2023 municipal mandate requiring netting and on-site monitoring. Inconsistent enforcement continues to worsen particulate pollution.
Transport and heating emissionsh:
Vehicle exhaust, winter heating reliance on polluting fuels, mining activities, and degraded land all contribute to a sustained baseline of emissions. The Sovetashen dump and open-pit operations within city limits further reduce natural filtration.
Despite these documented challenges, municipal efforts have stalled. A 2015 European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) funded €26 million project to modernize waste infrastructure and close Nubarashen was canceled in 2024, leaving promises of public-private partnerships unfulfilled. In December 2024, Avinyan announced a four-year air quality program, but as of late 2025, implementation details remain scarce. Experts, including waste management specialist Harutyun Alpetyan, stress the need for expanded methane capture, currently limited to 8 hectares, and systematic soil coverage to prevent self-combustion.
Health impacts are mounting. Prolonged exposure to elevated PM2.5 is linked to respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular disease, and increased mortality, according to WHO data. Residents near Nubarashen, particularly in Erebuni, report chronic smoke and odors, with minimal public alerts during major fires. Surveys show most Yerevan residents perceive worsening conditions year over year.
As winter approaches, a season Avinyan himself warns will bring heightened risks, the gap between warnings and decisive action underscores the need for transparent data sharing, stricter enforcement, and long-term investment in sustainable waste systems. Without these steps, Yerevan’s air pollution—already among the worst in the region—risks becoming a year-round public health emergency.
