Environmental Certification in Uzbekistan: Standards O‘zMSt 194, 195 and the Role of the State Unitary Enterprise “Davekosertifikat”

From the author: In our previous articles, we examined general issues of product certification for the EAEU and Uzbekistan markets, and we also took a detailed look at the procedure for entering measuring instruments into the state register. Now we turn to another key topic — environmental certification, which in Uzbekistan is closely linked to the national standards O‘zMSt 194 and 195 and the activities of the state center “Davekosertifikat”.

For manufacturing enterprises, transport companies and importers of equipment operating in Uzbekistan, environmental safety is becoming an increasingly important factor in market access. In addition to the usual certificates and declarations of conformity, confirmation of compliance with national environmental standards is increasingly required. In this article, we will examine how the environmental certification system works in the Republic of Uzbekistan, what requirements the standards O‘zMSt 194 and O‘zMSt 195 impose on automatic monitoring stations, and what role the State Unitary Enterprise “Davekosertifikat” plays in all of this.

1. What is Environmental Certification in Uzbekistan

Environmental certification is a procedure for assessing the conformity of products, technological processes, waste and equipment to established environmental norms and requirements. Its main objectives are:

• Protection of the environment and public health from harmful impacts.

• Stimulating the introduction of environmentally friendly technologies.

• Providing reliable information on the impact of products and production on nature.

• Access to public procurement and gaining competitive advantages through the “green” labeling system.

In Uzbekistan, this sphere is overseen by the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, and the direct executor is the State Unitary Enterprise “State Center for Environmental Certification and Standardization” (SUE “Davekosertifikat”).

2. SUE “Davekosertifikat”: Structure and Activities

The center was established by Presidential Resolution No. PP-2915 dated April 21, 2017, and performs three key functions:

1. Environmental certification — assessment of the conformity of products, waste, and technological processes in terms of their environmental safety.

2. Environmental standardization — development and implementation of national environmental standards (including O‘zMSt 194 and 195), harmonized with international norms.

3. Environmental labeling “Yashil belgi” (“Green Mark”) — the operator of the voluntary system for confirming the environmental friendliness of products.

The center is accredited for testing and has its own laboratory base (accreditation certificate No. BY/112 1.1833, valid until November 2027). It is here that certification tests are conducted for most items related to environmental safety.

3. Environmental Certification of Equipment: Standards O‘zMSt 194 and O‘zMSt 195

Two key national standards, approved by Order of the Institute of Standards of Uzbekistan No. 22/MSt dated June 28, 2024, establish requirements for automatic monitoring stations:

• O‘zMSt 194 — “Automated monitoring stations for atmospheric air quality. General technical conditions.”

• O‘zMSt 195 — “Automated monitoring stations for emissions. General technical conditions.”

Both standards are developed taking into account European experience (BS EN 14181) and are mandatory for enterprises of categories I and II of environmental impact.

3.1. O‘zMSt 194: Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations

The standard applies to stationary automatic posts installed at the boundaries of sanitary protection zones and at background monitoring sites. Main requirements:

• Continuous measurement of the concentrations of six priority pollutants (NO₂, SO₂, NH₃, CO, O₃, H₂S), as well as PM 2.5, PM 10 and total dust.

• Measurement of meteorological parameters: temperature, humidity, pressure, wind speed and direction.

• Data transmission to the Unified Geographic Information Database of the environmental monitoring system every 20 minutes.

• Operating temperature range from -40 to +60 °C, ingress protection rating not less than IP55.

• Backup power supply for at least 4 hours.

• Service life of the station — at least 5 years, sensors — at least 2 years.

Important: The station must be entered into the register of measuring instruments of Uzbekistan (for more details on this procedure, see our previous article) and have a certificate of conformity.

3.2. O‘zMSt 195: Emissions Monitoring Stations

This standard concerns systems for continuous monitoring of industrial emissions from stationary sources (stacks, chimneys). Key differences from O‘zMSt 194:

• Measurement is carried out directly in flue gases (temperature, pressure, flow rate, humidity, pollutant concentrations).

• The list of controlled substances is determined by the industry of the enterprise (Appendix A of the standard) and includes dust, SO₂, NOx, CO, HF, HCl, etc.

• The upper measurement limit is at least 2.5 times the permissible emission standard established for a specific source.

• System response time — no more than 45 seconds, repeatability ±1% of full scale.

• Service life of the station — at least 10 years, sensors — at least 2 years.

• Ingress protection rating IP 54, backup power supply for at least 4 hours.

As with O‘zMSt 194, the stations must be of an approved type of measuring instruments and have a national certificate of conformity.

4. The Procedure for Environmental Certification of Equipment According to Standards 194 and 195

Environmental certification of automatic monitoring stations is a comprehensive process that includes:

1. Submitting an application to an accredited body (usually to SUE “Davekosertifikat” or another body with the appropriate scope of accreditation).

2. Examination of technical documentation — verification of passports, verification methods, software.

3. Testing of samples according to the programs given in the standards. For example, for O‘zMSt 194 the following are provided:

   • verification of metrological characteristics of gas analytical channels and dust channels;

   • testing the influence of climatic factors;

   • assessment of data transmission and software protection;

   • reliability tests.

4. Certification tests are carried out in an accredited laboratory, including at the facilities of “Davekosertifikat”.

5. Type approval of measuring instruments (a mandatory requirement of both standards) — described in detail in our second article.

6. Issuance of an environmental certificate of conformity and entry into the register.

The standards also provide for acceptance, periodic and type tests for serial products.

5. Comparison of O‘zMSt 194 and O‘zMSt 195

Parameter	O‘zMSt 194 (Air)	O‘zMSt 195 (Emissions)
Object of control	Ambient air in the SPZ and background points	Industrial emissions from organized sources
Measured medium	Open atmosphere	Gas flow inside a stack/chimney
Controlled substances	NO₂, SO₂, NH₃, CO, O₃, H₂S + particulate matter PM₂.₅, PM₁₀, total dust	Determined by industry: dust, SO₂, NOx, CO, CO₂, HF, HCl, etc.
Response time	Not strictly regulated (measurements every 180 s)	Not more than 45 s
Protection rating	IP55	IP54
Station service life	Not less than 5 years	Not less than 10 years
Data transmission	Every 20 minutes to the Unified Database	Every 20 minutes + immediately when exceedances >2.5 PEL

6. Voluntary Environmental Labeling “Yashil belgi”

In addition to mandatory certification, “Davekosertifikat” manages the voluntary environmental labeling system “Yashil belgi” (“Green Mark”). It is based on the requirements of ISO 14024 and national standards.

• Validity period of the certificate — 3 years.

• Processing time — no more than 3 months.

• Advantages: from 2026, the presence of such a certificate gives preferences when participating in public procurement.

7. Practical Recommendations

1. Before purchasing or supplying automatic monitoring stations, make sure the equipment complies with O‘zMSt 194 or 195 and is accompanied by a type approval certificate of the measuring instrument of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

2. Apply for environmental certification to accredited bodies, such as SUE “Davekosertifikat”, which have experience in testing according to these standards.

3. Plan your time: certification of a batch of equipment under 194/195 takes from 1.5 to 3 months, including tests and type approval.

4. For serial equipment, be sure to provide for annual inspection control and periodic tests.

5. If possible, undergo voluntary eco-labeling “Yashil belgi” — it will increase competitiveness and open access to public procurement.

8. Conclusion

Environmental certification in Uzbekistan is a dynamically developing area. The adoption of standards O‘zMSt 194 and 195 has created clear technical frameworks for automated monitoring systems, and SUE “Davekosertifikat” has become a key link in conformity assessment. Understanding these requirements and competent interaction with certification centers will allow enterprises not only to comply with legislation, but also to strengthen their market positions through confirmed environmental responsibility.