Environmental policy

Reducing our Company’s environmental impact is an indispensable element of our sustainable development. With that in mind, our environmental protection programme includes the following key priorities:

  • Resource management, including the development and implementation of technologies to ensure efficient use of natural resources;
  • Taking steps to avoid contributing to man-made climate change and paying suitable compensation for any environmental damage caused;
  • Monitoring the environmental impact of our business operations;
  • Ensuring environmental protection in line with international standards.

As part of our overall Policy on Health and Safety Management, we conduct regular audits to ensure stringent compliance with international standards on atmospheric emissions. We are able to keep our emissions at low levels by focusing on our fleet: in addition to operating young and efficient aircraft whenever possible, we are also taking steps to modify older aircraft that do not meet emissions standards.

A young fleet

Our Company is the only airline in Kazakhstan operating aircraft from the Airbus A319/320/321 family. In addition to offering passengers a high level of comfort, all of these aircraft are also very environmentally friendly, ensuring the best fuel economy and lowest levels of emissions and noise footprint in their class. The Airbus A320 NEO features innovative Pratt & Whitney engines that are 15% more fuel-efficient than their predecessors. Air Astana’s first Airbus A320 NEO was delivered and put into service in November 2016. The A320 NEO will operate on domestic flights, as well as international flights to China, India, Russia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

Our Company also operates a number of Boeing 757–200 aircraft, which feature innovative technologies enabling excellent fuel efficiency, low noise levels, a high level of comfort and excellent operating performance.

Aircraft modifications

Modifying aircraft through the addition of winglets (Boeing) or sharklets (Airbus), provides two benefits: first, they enable greater fuel efficiency; and, second, by improving aerodynamics, they make more rational flight routing possible.

Reducing greenhouse-gas emissions

Our Health and Safety Department monitors compliance with applicable environmental regulations and ensures the timely maintenance of all liquid-fuelled equipment—aircraft, diesel power plants, special-purpose vehicles and automobiles—an important step towards lowering emissions of greenhouse gases.

Water consumption by source
9.4 million litres

In addition to controlling emissions, our environmental protection efforts also focus on recycling. For example, we separate all of our waste paper and recycle PET bottles and used batteries. In 2017, we also began recycling two other types of waste: metal shavings and waste water used to wash wheels and brakes. Last year, some 130,000 litres of waste water was removed our authorised contractor, PromTehnoResurs. By improving our collection and transfer procedures, we increased the volume of our recycled waste paper by 13 tonnes in 2017 year-on-year.

Total waste by type
Total solid waste by hazard grade 2015 2016 2017
Grade 1 (Amber List of waste) Astana: 2.191 tonnes
Almaty: 6.465 tonnes
Astana: 2.577 tonnes
Almaty: 6.708 tonnes
Astana: 3.205 tonnes
Almaty: 7.969 tonnes
Grade 2 (Green List of waste) Astana: 24.182 tonnes
Almaty: 1.020 tonnes (excluding solid waste)
Astana: 55.025 tonnes
Almaty: 2,913 tonnes
Astana: 81.657 tonnes
Almaty: 2,905 tonnes
Solid waste utilisation, burial and recycling in 2017
Tonnes
Reuse (waste paper) 80.87
Other (disposed of by an authorised contractor) Hazardous waste
Astana: 3.340 tonnes
Almaty: 9.059 tonnes
Solid waste
Astana: 81.522 tonnes
Almaty: 2,904 tonnes
Solid waste utilisation
99,9%
Total costs and investment in environmental protection
2015 2016 2017
Modernisation (monitoring systems in Astana and Almaty, schedules, containers, maximum permitted emissions, KIOSH USD 5,485 USD 3,296 USD 4,819
Grade 2 (Green List of waste) Astana: USD 433
Almaty: USD 91,672
Astana: USD 1,185
Almaty: USD 57,411
Astana: USD 1,914
Almaty: USD 61,706
Emissions treatment Astana: USD 388
Almaty: USD 2,066
Astana: USD 332
Almaty: USD 1,366
Astana: USD 372
Almaty: USD 1,555
Total USD 100,044 USD 63,589 USD 70,367
Total costs and investment in environmental protection
2015 2016 2017
Costs of measures to reduce environmental impact and for the environmental management system USD 96,661 USD 63,589 USD 53,190
Staff for education and training USD 681 USD 1,032 USD 531
External services for the environmental management system USD 5,485 USD 3,296 USD 4,820
Research and development USD 4,804 USD 951 USD 2,090
Additional costs for the implementation of clean technologies(containers for batteries) USD 280 USD 756
Other costs related to environmental management USD 85,690 USD 58,030 USD 44,994
Total USD 96,661 USD 63,589 USD 53,189

Emissions

Greenhouse-gas emissions
2015 2016 2017 Reason for significant changes in emissions that triggered a recalculation of base-year emissions
Greenhouse-gas emissions, in metric tonnes of CO₂ or equivalent Almaty: 678.319
Astana: 730.611
Almaty: 671.468
Astana: 700.175
Almaty: 700.2149
Astana: 697.088
Diesel power plants in Almaty are operated more intensively compared to Astana
Energy consumption by energy type
Total energy consumption 2015 2016 2017
Electricity (kW) 2,572,598 2,272,981 2,680,210
Heat (Gcal) 620 600 640

Educational projects

Given the importance of environmental issues for our business, we hold environmental competitions to promote environmental awareness, organise events to celebrate World Environment Day and run internal campaigns to educate staff on environmental protection. In 2017, we held a drawing competition for employees’ children called “The Environment: The World through Children’s Eyes”. The winning drawings were printed in our 2018 corporate desk calendars.