The issue of construction of solid waste processing plants in major cities was considered at the Government session under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov. 

Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Yerlan Nysanbayev reminded that the Government approved a mechanism of preferential financing of projects in the field of waste management. This applies to the purchase of rubbish trucks, the launch of sorting lines and processing facilities. Financing is provided through the Industrial Development Fund with an interest rate of 3 per cent and a loan term from 3 to 15 years. 

To date, 94 projects have been selected for more than 232 billion tenge. Their implementation will allow to set up production of paving stones, manholes, bins, glass containers, stretch film and other consumer goods.

Twenty-one projects for the construction and modernisation of sorting lines with a capacity of more than 3 million tonnes per year have also been worked out with the regions. The projects will make it possible to increase the capacity of sorting lines from the current 1.7 million tonnes to 4.7 million tonnes, as well as to cover cities and large towns in all regions of the country.

In terms of municipal solid waste processing, it is planned to build 37 new plants and modernise 8 existing ones with a total capacity of over 1.2 million tonnes per year. This will make it possible to increase the volume of processing to 1.4 million tonnes per year.

Akim of Zhetisu region Beybit Issabayev and Akim of Kyzylorda region Nurlybek Nalibayev informed about the implementation of relevant infrastructure projects in the regions. 

Chairman of the Board of the Association of Packers of Kazakhstan Batyrbek Aubakirov also made a report on the creation of new and modernisation of existing processing facilities at the meeting.

As Prime Minister noted, in many regions of the country has not yet managed to organise effective collection and removal, sorting and processing of municipal waste. Unauthorised dumps are formed everywhere, issues of their liquidation are not timely solved. 

"As international experience shows, developed countries return secondary raw materials to economic turnover based on the principle of a closed-cycle economy. We continue, in simple terms, to bury rubbish in the ground, or even leave it on the surface. This makes a very unsightly picture around the settlements and does not meet sanitary and environmental standards," Olzhas Bektenov said. 

According to him, the issues of utilisation and processing of food waste, which is no less dangerous, have not been resolved. In this regard, it is necessary to develop mechanisms of utilisation from collection to processing.

"The Ministry and the regions have delayed this work. The main share of enterprises is engaged only in collection of recyclable materials, their pressing and further realisation, as a rule, abroad. There are few enterprises that process waste and produce final products," Head of the Government pointed out.

As an example, he voiced that in North Kazakhstan region company "Rainbow" recycles waste polyethylene and paper, produces various consumer goods. In Shymkent, Eurocrystal recycles glass and produces glass containers. 

In Almaty region, KZ recycling produces paper products from waste paper. And in Kyzylorda region each district is working out its own project on waste recycling. 

At the same time, Prime Minister pointed out that in Atyrau region, Aktobe region and Abay region for a long time could not launch a waste sorting line.

In general, Olzhas Bektenov noted that all over the world recycling of rubbish is a profitable business and Kazakhstan should not lag behind in this direction.

"We need to introduce effective mechanisms of economic incentives for enterprises in the implementation of such projects. In addition, projects on processing and sorting of municipal waste will be financed at a favourable rate of 3% for 15 years through the Industry Development Fund," the Prime Minister announced.

He added that the mechanism of the Programme of payments to enterprises that collect, transport and process waste (EcoKoldau) has also been restarted.

"A clear system of waste management will give not only economic and environmental effects, but will also contribute to the opening of enterprises, attract new technologies, create jobs," Olzhas Bektenov said. 

Based on this, Prime Minister instructed to develop additional mechanisms to attract investors in the sphere of waste processing, to take measures for accelerated consideration of applications for relevant infrastructure projects and to ensure support of each of them until full commissioning. Prime Minister instructed to accelerate the commissioning of all initiated projects in this area.

#Olzhas Bektenov #The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan #Ecology #Government session