Shavkat Mirziyoyev Reviews Waste Recycling and Energy Production Initiatives
Tashkent, The Gulf Observer: President Shavkat Mirziyoyev recently reviewed a presentation detailing innovative projects aimed at recycling household waste and generating electricity from it. Currently, Uzbekistan produces approximately 14 million tons of waste annually, with a recycling rate of only 4-5 percent. The waste landfills contribute significantly to environmental pollution, emitting over 7 million tons of greenhouse gases and 43,000 tons of toxic leachates into the atmosphere and soil.
To address these environmental challenges, the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change, in collaboration with foreign investors, has devised several strategic initiatives. Plans are underway to construct eight waste incineration plants and process landfill gas at the Akhangaran landfill, with an investment of about $1.3 billion.
Among the key projects, two incineration plants will be built in the Andijan and Tashkent regions, financed by a direct investment of $350 million from the Chinese company CAMC Engineering. These facilities will process 4,000 tons of waste daily and generate 630 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. Additionally, Shanghai SUS Environment is set to invest $310 million to build two more plants in Samarkand and Kashkadarya, with a combined capacity to process 3,000 tons of waste daily and produce 480 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year.
The Tadweer Group of the United Arab Emirates will contribute $200 million to construct a facility serving the Bukhara and Navoi regions, designed to process 1,500 tons of waste per day and generate 363 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. Furthermore, a collaboration with South Korea’s Sejin aims to establish an electricity generation plant utilizing landfill gas in Akhangaran, requiring an investment of $55 million and with an expected capacity of 16 megawatts.
The implementation of these projects is projected to rationalize the management of solid municipal waste, incinerating over 4.7 million tons annually and generating 2.1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity valued at approximately $97 million. This initiative is also expected to conserve 152 million cubic meters of natural gas and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.4 million tons, while creating around 1,200 new jobs. The projects are slated for completion between 2025 and 2027 across various regions, including Andijan, Bukhara, Jizzakh, Kashkadarya, Navoi, Namangan, Samarkand, Syrdarya, Fergana, and the city of Tashkent.
President Mirziyoyev underscored the social importance of these initiatives, stating, “These are not just factories, but one of the fateful issues. The suitability of our lands and waters, the health of the population, the cleanliness of the air, and the stability of the energy sector depend on this area.” He emphasized that proper waste collection and increased recycling could enhance ecological balance, leading to a cleaner environment and improved societal conditions.
To further bolster these efforts, the President instructed relevant authorities to ensure these projects serve as exemplary models and to expand similar initiatives throughout the regions. Recognizing the need for reliable energy supply, it is recommended that new enterprises focusing on building materials and organic fertilizers be located near waste processing plants, benefiting both entrepreneurs and investors.
A roadmap will be developed to promote the balanced growth and increased number of such projects across all regions. This strategic focus on waste management is steadily advancing in Uzbekistan. On September 26, the President issued a decree establishing the Agency for Waste Management and Circular Economy Development, which will employ modern methodologies for waste collection, sorting, neutralizing, processing, incinerating, recycling, and disposal. This initiative aims to stabilize the environmental situation, enhance sanitary conditions, and reduce the incidence of diseases, while transforming waste into alternative energy, raw materials, and organic fertilizers. Eco-industrial zones will also be established on waste landfill sites.
