Kazakhstan is preparing to unveil a comprehensive waste management strategy by September.
The initiative, led by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, promises to address systemic inefficiencies, bring greater cohesion to waste policies, and attract green investments that could reshape the country’s urban sustainability landscape. Currently, Kazakhstan generates over 4.5 million tonnes of municipal waste each year. However, in 2024, only 26% of this waste was recycled — falling short of the government’s 30% target and well behind the 40% mark set for 2030. According to officials, a new strategy is being drafted to provide a clear roadmap for closing this gap, starting with a comprehensive analysis of strengths, weaknesses, and policy overlaps.
The recycling shortfall is driven by more than consumer behaviour. Officials note that economic disincentives — particularly unviable tariffs — have deterred private sector engagement in waste processing. Although Kazakhstan’s updated Environmental Code in 2021 mandated the revision of tariffs by local representative bodies, as of March this year, fewer than three-fourths of districts and cities had complied. To overcome this financial hurdle, the government is exploring a public-private compensation model. The mechanism involves setting economically viable tariffs for municipal waste services, with the difference reimbursed from the national utilisation fund — a move aimed at restoring investor confidence and operational feasibility.
Further bolstering private sector involvement, the government launched a preferential financing scheme in 2024. Backed by the Industrial Development Fund and the green initiative Zhasyl Damu, the programme offers long-term loans at just 3% interest. The funds are earmarked for companies involved in waste sorting, recycling, and logistics infrastructure, including procurement of garbage trucks and sorting lines. The response has been encouraging. Authorities have greenlit 67 projects worth over 316 billion tenge (approximately USD 618 million), including 43 focused exclusively on recycling. These ventures are projected to increase national recycling capacity by over a million tonnes annually — a meaningful step towards realising the goals of Kazakhstan’s green economy transition.
In tandem, the revived EcoQoldau programme has allocated 9.2 billion tenge (USD 17.9 million) in 2025 for direct compensation to enterprises collecting and processing recyclable materials. For instance, businesses handling polymer waste will receive over 71,000 tenge (USD 139) per tonne — a financial boost designed to make recycling operations more lucrative and scalable. Despite these efforts, the country’s waste challenge runs deeper. Experts warn of a fragmented policy framework where responsibility for different types of waste is scattered across ministries. Construction waste, for example, is regulated jointly by the industry and ecology departments, while medical and agricultural waste fall under multiple administrative umbrellas. This lack of coherence, experts argue, stymies efficient planning and enforcement.
The upcoming strategy aims to integrate oversight of all waste streams, not just household waste. Industrial waste — a category in which Kazakhstan generates nearly a billion tonnes annually — is especially pressing. Mining and quarrying alone contribute 70% of this volume, followed by manufacturing at 15.8%. Although these sectors are subject to regulatory oversight under the Environmental Code, non-compliance remains an issue. Between 2022 and 2024, regulatory violations led to fines totalling 14.3 billion tenge (USD 27.9 million). Officials say the new approach will be aligned with the internationally recognised waste hierarchy, which prioritises refusal, reduction, reuse, repurposing, and finally, recycling. The policy aims to minimise landfill dependency — a serious concern in Kazakhstan, where only 20% of the country’s 3,000 landfills meet environmental standards. Over 1,000 illegal dumping sites were identified in 2024 alone. To combat this, satellite monitoring, in partnership with the national space agency, is being deployed to track waste disposal more effectively.
While central policy reforms are slowly gaining traction, grassroots movements are galvanising public engagement around sustainability. Since launching in Almaty in 2017, the Darmarka platform has hosted regular community recycling events where citizens can drop off items ranging from everyday recyclables to hazardous waste such as expired medicines and used batteries. The initiative encourages eco-friendly habits while raising awareness about responsible consumption. Eco trainers leading these events emphasise the importance of relatable communication. Attendees are shown how simple behavioural changes — like switching to reusable water bottles or segregating waste at home — can reduce household waste and environmental burden over time. These small steps, they argue, foster larger behavioural shifts essential for lasting environmental impact.
Experts also advocate for embedding environmental education in early schooling. Highlighting behavioural science models such as FEAST — fun, easy, attractive, social, and timely — sustainability influencers are reimagining waste management as a lifestyle choice rather than an obligation. They believe that by integrating these principles into community outreach and education, sustainable living can become second nature for future generations. Kazakhstan’s push for waste reform underscores a broader shift towards a circular economy — one where economic growth is decoupled from environmental degradation. As global demand for recycled materials grows — with the plastic recycling market alone projected to rise from USD 42.4 billion in 2024 to nearly USD 58 billion by 2029 — the country’s waste sector could emerge as both an ecological necessity and an economic opportunity.
The success of Kazakhstan’s new waste strategy, however, will depend on more than targets and technology. It will require cross-ministerial coordination, long-term investment, and continued community involvement. If executed effectively, it could mark a decisive step toward cleaner cities, healthier ecosystems, and a more sustainable national economy.
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