Country Summary

The health of Armenian children is threatened by toxic pollution in the forms of mining waste, air emissions and improperly controlled car battery recycling. In some communities of Armenia, 57%-85% of all tested children aged 4 to 6 years-old suffer from elevated blood lead levels. In 2012, Pure Earth conducted the first independent, comprehensive assessment of toxic pollution in Armenia. This program identified 23 contaminated sites that threaten the health of Armenians. Pure Earth developed a plan to mitigate the health impacts of toxic pollution in Armenia. The goal is to reduce health risks, especially the risk of lead poisoning resulting from the mining waste and lead acid (car) battery recycling.

Project Completion Reports

• Mitigating Impacts from Mine Tailings Waste in Akhtala

Project Pages

• Projects in Progress:
  • Toxic Sites Identification Program
• Completed Projects:
  • Preliminary Site Assessment, Municipal Solid Waste and Former Industrial Dumpsite (Abovyan)  (2020)
  • Cleanup of Historical Landmark, Akhtala Monastery Grounds (2018)
  • Assessment of Heavy Metal Pollution (2014)
  • TSIP Training Yerevan (2014)
  • TSIP Training Yerevan (2012)

Blogs

Read more about our work in Armenia on The Pollution Blog

• Toxic Legacy at 10th Century Armenian Monastery Comes to an End (2018)
• Armenia’s Toxic 10th Century Monastery (2014)
• The Mystery of Mining Waste Dumped in an Armenian School (2014)