Kazakhstan (Almaty)

Almaty City – Wastes Recycle System

Kazakhstan is a large, sparsely populated country exhibiting a wide range of climatic conditions, economic activities and household wealth/incomes.

Conventions regarding hazardous waste and waste management has been a relatively neglected area of environmental policy and action in Kazakhstan to date. This is relevant for municipal solid waste, hazardous and industrial wastes; all of which can pose significant threats to public health and safety, climate change and the environment.

Almaty is the biggest city in Kazakhstan and a center for industrial production. Dumping of medical, construction and industrial wastes together with household wastes are creating environmental problems. Activities to establish containers for municipal waste separation have been carried out at the municipal bodies site. As a pilot project the first such containers are delivered at the Bostandyk district, where the plan is to create at least 20 sites for sorting waste within the district. NGOs are helping with providing information campaign among the population. Monitoring of emission of gases and pollution of subsoil waters is not carried out.

What is the objective?
The overall goal of this project is the development of a sustainable retrieval system for the recyclable wastes in Kazakhstan. The project will be in line with MDG#7: Target #9, in promoting the sustainable development principles – integrate into country policies and programs and reverse the loss of natural resourceses.