Navoi city smog of July–August 2025: plant suspensions, court rulings and 10.348 billion soums in compensation payments
- Near Navoiyazot on the night of 29–30 July my air carried hydrogen sulphide at 36 times the limit on the east side, and ammonia at 6.6 times on the west side. Kun.uz
- At Zarafshon Industrial Technology LLC my air carried nitrogen oxides at 12 times the limit, ammonia at 7 times and sulphur dioxide at 2.6 times. Kun.uz
- Government and regulators Ministry of Ecology: Measured pollutant levels above limits at Navoiyazot and suspended its workshops; temporarily shut down enterprises for emissions beyond permissible levels. Kun.uz
- Company or project Navoiyazot: Repeatedly denied responsibility, citing camera footage which it said showed the smoke came from businesses on the former electrochemical plant site. Kun.uz
- Government and regulators Regional ecology department: Finding the source is difficult without automatic monitoring stations. Kun.uz
After repeated smog episodes in Navoi in July 2025, the Ministry of Ecology measured pollutant levels above limits, suspended more than 20 enterprises and took claims to the economic courts. A special commission reported compensation payments of 10.348 billion soums; Navoiyazot denied it was the source.
Navoiyazot 2.5 bn; Sogda Kimyo Zavod 7 bn; other enterprises 0.5 bn (Anhor.uz, citing the commission).
Status As of November 2025: the Special Commission reported 10.348 billion soums in compensation payments and 20 court-suspended enterprises and workshops; whether Navoiyazot workshop No. 23 has resumed is not reported.
- Navoi air and residents — Sulphur dioxide, ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, nitrogen oxides and sulphur trioxide above limits in July 2025; residents quoted by Kun.uz described rising allergic diseases Kun.uz
What happened
Smog episodes were recorded in Navoi on 13, 19, 21 and 22 July 2025. Air samples taken on 19 July at 11 locations showed sulphur dioxide at 1.86 times the legal limit and ammonia at 1.43 times, according to Kun.uz. At Navoiyazot, ammonia in the urea workshop was 1.08 times the limit on 29 July; at 23:43 on 29 July on the east side ammonia was 1.5 times and hydrogen sulphide 36 times the limit, and at 00:16 on 30 July on the west side ammonia was 6.6 times, hydrogen sulphide 1.4 times and sulphur trioxide 1.2 times. For Zarafshon Industrial Technology LLC the article gave hydrogen sulphide at 25 times (and elsewhere 40 times), nitrogen oxides 12 times, ammonia 7 times and sulphur dioxide 2.6 times.
The Ministry of Ecology suspended more than 20 enterprises in a first phase (brick, slate, concrete and lime plants, a chemical storage, a dairy and phosphorus fertiliser producers), then examined 168 enterprises: 42 were inspected, 22 were ordered to suspend, and legal action was taken against 19 that did not comply, with 10 days allowed to fix violations. Sogda Kimyo Zavod damage was estimated at UZS 7.38 billion. Twenty-four people were fined UZS 18 million each over lime production (raid of 24 July, Karmana district).
Claims to suspend 22 enterprises and workshops were filed with the economic courts. According to the ministry's release of 24 September 2025, the Karmana Interdistrict Economic Court reviewed 20 and upheld 19; on 23 September 2025 the Judicial Board for Economic Affairs of the Navoi Regional Court, on appeal, ruled "to temporarily suspend the operations of the 23rd (ammonia) workshop of JSC 'Navoiyazot'"; three workshops of Sogda Kimyo Zavod LLC were suspended by the Karmana court; 25 officials were held administratively liable; and 92 lime kilns were dismantled.
On 27 November 2025 Anhor.uz, citing the ecoinfouz Telegram channel, reported the Special Commission's totals (translated from Russian): 168 enterprises inspected; "the court suspended the activity of 20 enterprises and workshops operating without a positive environmental expertise"; "the total amount of compensation payments came to 10.348 billion soums", of which Navoiyazot 2.5 billion (two workshops suspended), Sogda Kimyo Zavod 7 billion and other enterprises 0.5 billion; 127 lime kilns demolished; more than 220 mandatory orders; and 37 administrative protocols against officials.
Navoiyazot repeatedly denied responsibility, citing camera footage which it said showed the smoke came from businesses on the former electrochemical plant site. The regional ecology department said finding the source is difficult without automatic monitoring stations, which were not yet installed; they become mandatory for Category I plants by 1 January 2026 and Category II by 1 July 2026.
- 2025Smog episodes (13, 19, 21, 22 Jul); air samples at 11 locations (19 Jul); three inspection groups formed (31 Jul); 20th day of smog (4 Aug); appeal ruling suspends Navoiyazot workshop No. 23 (23 Sep); Special Commission totals (27 Nov)
What was said
“Multiple enterprises in Navoi have been temporarily shut down for releasing harmful emissions beyond permissible levels”
“If they fail to comply, lawsuits will be filed to permanently shut them down.”
“to temporarily suspend the operations of the 23rd (ammonia) workshop of JSC 'Navoiyazot'”
“the total amount of compensation payments came to 10.348 billion soums”
“Authorities are trying to convince us everything is fine, but allergic diseases are rising among the population.”
“This toxic smog is severely affecting the health of young children and the elderly”
Where accounts differ
Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.
Measured pollutant levels above limits at Navoiyazot and suspended its workshops; temporarily shut down enterprises for emissions beyond permissible levels.
Kun.uzRepeatedly denied responsibility, citing camera footage which it said showed the smoke came from businesses on the former electrochemical plant site.
Kun.uzFinding the source is difficult without automatic monitoring stations.
Kun.uzHow it looked
Shown
Recorded
- Court rulings: Karmana Interdistrict Economic Court upheld 19 of 20 claims; on 23 September 2025 the appeal court suspended Navoiyazot workshop No. 23; three Sogda Kimyo Zavod workshops were suspended.
- Compensation payments reported at 10.348 billion soums; Navoiyazot 2.5 billion, Sogda Kimyo Zavod 7 billion, other enterprises 0.5 billion.
- 25 officials were held administratively liable; the Special Commission reported 37 administrative protocols against officials.
- No automatic emission monitoring was in place; Navoi has 71 Category I and 218 Category II enterprises, 122 of them around the city.
Who gained
Reached nature or the ground
Gained elsewhere
Responses on record
- navoiyazot (2025-08-01): Denied responsibility, citing camera footage it said showed the smoke came from businesses on the former electrochemical plant site. · Kun.uz
- uzbekistan-ecology-ministry (2025-08-01): Multiple enterprises were temporarily shut down for emissions beyond permissible levels; lawsuits would follow for those that did not comply. · Kun.uz
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- 2025–2025Claimant wonMinistry of Ecology claims to suspend 22 enterprises and workshopsKarmana Interdistrict Economic Court · Administrative · Ministry of Ecology → 22 enterprises and workshops in Navoi, including Sogda Kimyo Zavod LLC
Claims to suspend 22 enterprises and workshops were filed with the economic courts. The Karmana Interdistrict Economic Court reviewed 20 and upheld 19; three workshops of Sogda Kimyo Zavod LLC were suspended by the Karmana court. Government of Uzbekistan (Ecology)
- 2025–2025Claimant wonAppeal on suspension of Navoiyazot workshop No. 23Judicial Board for Economic Affairs, Navoi Regional Court · Appeal · Ministry of Ecology → JSC Navoiyazot
On 23 September 2025 the court, on appeal, ruled to temporarily suspend the operations of the 23rd (ammonia) workshop of JSC Navoiyazot. The Special Commission later reported two Navoiyazot workshops suspended. Government of Uzbekistan (Ecology)
- 2025–2025Claimant wonAdministrative liability of officialsAdministrative proceedings, Navoi region · Administrative · Ministry of Ecology → Officials (not named)
The ministry's release of 24 September 2025 states 25 officials were held administratively liable; the Special Commission reported 37 administrative protocols against officials as of 27 November 2025. Government of Uzbekistan (Ecology)
Insurers
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Nature
- Disputed Source of the smog
Money
- None on record Compensation payments directed to restoring air quality — The recipient account of the payments is not stated.
Record
- Disputed Figures differ: Kun.uz gives hydrogen sulphide at Zarafshon Industrial Technology LLC as 25 times the limit and, in the same article, as 40 times.
- Disputed Disputed: the source of the smog. The ministry measured exceedances at Navoiyazot; Navoiyazot says the smoke came from businesses on the former electrochemical plant site.
- None on record None on record: official health statistics, an official link between the smog and one enterprise, and automatic monitoring data; air-quality data for 4 August 2025 is also absent.
- Not disclosed Not disclosed: the recipient of the compensation payments (state budget or an environmental fund).
- Unclear Unclear: the components given (2.5, 7 and 0.5 billion soums) add to 10 billion soums, so about 0.348 billion soums of the 10.348 billion total are not attributed in Anhor.uz's account (calculation).
- Not disclosed Not disclosed: a fine amount for Navoiyazot in the Kun.uz report of 1 August 2025; the ministry release of 24 September 2025 does not mention compensation.
- Unclear Unclear: whether Navoiyazot workshop No. 23 has resumed operating.
Did the harm stop?
Partly. Courts suspended Navoiyazot workshop No. 23 (appeal ruling of 23 September 2025) and three Sogda Kimyo Zavod workshops; 92 lime kilns were dismantled by September 2025 and 127 by November 2025, according to the ministry and the Special Commission.
Who paid?
The plants paid compensation payments totalling 10.348 billion soums (Navoiyazot 2.5 billion, Sogda Kimyo Zavod 7 billion, others 0.5 billion); the recipient is not stated.
Sources
Government and regulators
- Operations of "Navoiyazot" and "Sogda Kimyo Zavod" Workshops Temporarily Suspended by Court DecisionGovernment of Uzbekistan (Ecology) · 2025-09-24
Press and investigations
- Toxic smog chokes Navoi as Ecology Ministry struggles to actKun.uz · 2025-08-05
- Navoi enterprises fined over 10 bn soums for air pollution (in Russian)Anhor.uz · 2025-11-27
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