VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHYE #0116/01 0331152
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021152Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY YEREVAN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 4829

UNCLAS YEREVAN 000116 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EUR/CARC, EUR/ACE, OES/IHA-DWILUSZ 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV TBIO AID AM
SUBJECT:  IMPROVING U.S. DIPLOMACY ON INDOOR AIR POLLUTION 
 
REF: 06 STATE 192919 
 
¶1. Post delivered reftel points to Head of the Department of Air 
Pollution at the Ministry of Nature Protection Aram Gabrielian. 
Post's assessment of GOAM commitment to reduce indoor air pollution 
and summary of recent projects in this area are provided below. 
 
--------------- 
GOAM COMMITMENT 
--------------- 
 
¶2. Assess level of government commitment to reduce Indoor Air 
Pollution. 
 
¶3. The GOAM's commitment to reducing indoor air pollution (IAP) has 
been mixed.  The legal foundation is relatively strong but not 
well-enforced and there is a lack of resources to fully combat the 
problem. 
 
¶4. In 1992, the GOAM passed the law on "Sanitary Epidemiological 
Safety" which states that Armenian citizens have a right to a safe 
environment (including indoor air) and established a body within the 
Ministry of Health to monitor the quality of indoor air.  The 
Ministry of Health began to engage on IAP in 2002, however, when the 
Ministry became responsible for the maintenance of air and heating 
units in schools and the circulation of fresh air in school 
facilities.  One possible explanation for the Ministries lack of 
significant engagement before 2002 is that following independence 
from the Soviet Union in 1991, Armenia's industrial sector collapsed 
(along with the entire economy and Armenians' material living 
standards), leading to a dramatic decrease in overall air pollution 
levels.  Residential air quality, however, remained poor, 
particularly during the winter months when open fires were and still 
are) used for heat.  Smoking, which is commonplace in Armenia, also 
contributes significantly to IAP. 
 
¶5. In the past few years, the Armenian industrial sector has begun 
to recover and private vehicle ownership has increased, triggering 
 
greater GOAM involvement on IAP issues.  In 2004, the Minister of 
Urban Development made two decrees tied to the 1992 legislation and 
related to indoor air pollution.  The first decree details the 
acceptable concentrations of various chemicals indoors.  The second 
regulates indoor air pollution levels in residences and office 
buildings.  While these regulations set stricter standards than 
those recommended by the WHO, enforcement remains poor and the GOAM 
has not dedicated significant resources to programs addressing 
indoor air pollution. 
 
------------ 
IAP PROJECTS 
------------ 
 
¶6. Provide examples of any government and non-government projects in 
the host country related to IAP. 
 
¶7.  GOAM projects in Armenia related to IAP focus on household 
energy use, particularly natural gas.  ArmRusGas CJSCo (which is 45 
percent government owned) is required to inspect all residences 
using natural gas for heating and cooking to ensure proper 
ventilation of noxious fumes.  ArmRusGas has been working to expand 
the number of residential users of natural gas, but wood-burning 
stoves remain the primary source of heat in most rural areas. 
Homemade stoves and improvised modification of residential heating 
equipment create significant IAP and in 2005, 26 Armenians died from 
residential carbon monoxide poising. 
 
¶8.  The USG supports several programs to promote energy efficiency 
in Armenia and the gasification of schools for heating.  Specific 
activities include: 
 
- The School Heating Project: reconstructing and rehabilitating the 
heating systems in 40 schools across Armenia. 
 
- The Armenian Energy Sector Partnership: increasing energy 
efficiency through consumer education and the introduction of new 
technologies, and promoting energy security through diversification 
of energy resources, including renewable energy projects. 
 
- The Energy Efficiency and Heat Systems Project: increasing energy 
efficiency and environmental sustainability in the energy sector. 
 
- The Residential Heating Project: revision of eight gas safety 
standards in order to make them consistent with European Union 
standards, drafting of two gas safety technical regulations, and 
drafting of technical regulations which have been delivered to the 
Ministry of Energy for review and implementation. 
 
- Democracy Commission: a grant to support regional seminars on gas 
safety and develop and publish 300 copies of an informational 
brochure on gas safety, consumer and service provider rights and 
responsibilities and appropriate regulation. 
------------ 
FUTURE STEPS 
------------ 
 
¶9. Suggest possible ways to increase IAP mitigation in your host 
country. 
 
¶10. As the GOAM and private bodies continue to make natural gas 
available to citizens throughout the country (and particularly those 
residing in rural areas), the use of traditional biomass (e.g. wood, 
dung and crop residues) for home cooking and heating will likely 
decrease.  Gasification should be coupled with a concerted effort to 
promote increase energy efficiency in homes and offices, through 
improved insulation and other measures.  A public outreach campaign 
on the risks associated with gasification and ways to prevent carbon 
monoxide poisoning is also needed.  Regulation of indoor smoking and 
the establishment of smoke-free restaurants and offices would also 
significantly improve the quality of indoor air, particularly in the 
winter months. 
 
GODFREY