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The combination of economic and population growth have resulted in an increase in waste materials generated in Kazakhstan. Over the past three years, the level of generated waste has increased by 7.7%. One significant phenomenon is the creation of so-called “spontaneous landfills”, more than 9,000 in 2019; overall, only 18% of the landfills in the country are licensed. Despite the challenges encountered in the waste management sphere there are also positive indicators: recycling is increasing with each year, and by 2050 it is projected that this sector will grow by 50%. W aste Hazardous waste is separated into 3 levels: green (the least hazardous waste), amber and red (the most hazardous waste). By 2030, plans foresee the share of waste processing increasing to 40%, and by 2050 to 50%. To this end, the regulatory framework for solid domestic waste processing has been updated to introduce concepts including "separate municipal waste collection" and "secondary raw materials", with defined parameters as well as manufacturer regulations - Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). Thanks to the introduction of EPR, enterprises for the disposal of used antifreeze, oils, batteries and worn tires have appeared, and waste management infrastructure has been established. In 2019, more than 14% of household waste was recycled, four times more than in 2018. In total, there are 150 enterprises in the country that sort and process waste. Separate waste collection has been introduced in 51 settlements. Volume of generated waste - 2017-2019 (million tons) 2017 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 year 0,16 2018 2019 Solid household waste Hazardous waste Non-hazardous waste Radioactive waste 0,13 0,15 4,8 4,3 4,7 127 150 181 278 296 336 Volume of generated non-hazardous waste by type - 2018–2019 Packaging materials (thousand tons) Wastepaper (thousand tons) Plastic waste (thousands of tons) Waste electrical equipment (thousand tons) Bulk waste material (thousand tons) Construction waste (thousand tons) Out-of-service vehicles (pieces) Other waste (millions of tons) Total (million tons) 2018 2019 37 211 13 4 3,8 690 194 294,4 295,5 83 228 69 1,3 74 486 135 334,5 335,5 In 2018-2019, the greatest amounts of red level waste were produced in the East Kazakhstan and Karaganda oblasts. The highest levels of amber-level waste were found in the Pavlodar oblast, and green-level waste in the Kostanay oblast. Volume - hazardous waste generated by hazard level - 2017–2019 thousand tons , Aktobe Oblast Alga In 2014-2015, waste studies were conducted and the degree of environmental impact determined. In 2016, engineering and geological surveys were carried out, a master plan for sludge storage facilities was developed and mapped and polluted territories requiring cleanup were surveyed. In 2017, design and cost estimates for waste disposal were developed. Karaganda Oblast Currently, the waste is stored in two warehouses at Balkhash-9, a decommissioned military facility. The warehouses are under 24-hour security. Recycling of waste of this type is not currently possible in Kazakhstan, which lacks the appropriate facility. Disposal is possible only in designated plants in Europe. In 2017, an environmental impact study was completed. Container integrity was checked. Samples were taken of air, soil, flooring, water, sedimentation and insulating fluids revealing PCB traces in all samples. Daryal-U Radar Station 183 containers holding 5946 condensers; 3 containers holding PCB waste. A 2018 court decision recognized the waste as ownerless and assigned it to State control. Chemical and industrial waste from sludge storage tanks. Kostanay Oblast Zhasyl Damu, JSC conducted an environmental impact study, assessed the waste material value, and drew up its hazardous waste passport. Zhitikara District , Torgai-Ayan, LLP industrial zone 3-ton capacity container holding pesticides A 2012 court decision recognized the pesticides as ownerless; in 2013 they were transferred to State control. Zhasyl Damu, JSC conducted an environmental impact study, assessed the waste material value, and drew up its hazardous waste passport. Ecosphere+K, LLP and Kostanay Oblast Dept. of Emergency Measures industrial zones 24,358 grams of mercury Transferred to State control and stored on the territory of Ecosphere+K, LLP. Chemical analysis revealed petroleum product residue excess at the site. Further laboratory analysis is required. A budget application for an environmental impact study and value assessment for 2019-2021 has been assembled. Disused ZHBI-1, JSC plant on Toporkova Street, Rudny. Oily waste. A 2017 court decision assigned the waste to State control. Mangystau Oblast The Koshkar-Ata tailings pond Reclamation project was drawn up and approved. The project is comprised of the following: - wastewater disposal from the affected area; construction of service roads; - - reclamation of affected land. Koshkar-Ata tailings pond Radioactive and toxic waste A 2015 court decision assigned the waste to State control. A hazardous waste study has been completed, waste hazard assigned, and hazardous waste passports issued in compliance with legislation. KazAzot LLP, disused sulfuric acid industrial facility. Pyrite - 96 853 tons, sulfur - 4939 tons. The waste material was discovered during an inspection of the KazAzot LLP territory by the Mangystau Oblast Department of Ecology. In 2015, it was transferred to state ownership. Funding is required for laboratory research, environmental impact studies and value assessment. Territories of AZPM LLP Chemical waste, waste materials, reagents and raw materials. A 2018 court decision assigned the waste to State control. Funds have been solicited for an environmental impact study and valuation of the waste materials. Leninsky, Pavlodar oblast. Pesticides A 2016 court decision recognized the pesticides as ownerless and assigned them to State control. Pavlodar Oblast A study of the site revealed organic processes affecting the waste resulting in a negative impact on the local environment – air, soil, water and public health. Atbasar Phosphogypsum waste mixed in 5000 tons of unusable with the soil. A 2017 court decision assigned the waste to State control. Akmola Oblast An environmental impact study and assessment of the waste site for 2019-2021 was submitted to the State but was unsupported by the Ministry of Finance. Four separate plots on discontinued military base oil storage facility, located in the Southern Industrial Zone of the city of Derzhavinsk in the Zharkain District. Soils saturated with 22 tons of oil and fuel oil. A 2017 court decision assigned the waste to State control. Abandoned hazardous waste, undisposed / unburied, etc. Abandoned hazardous waste, disposed / buried, etc. In 2018, the waste was buried in a specialized storage facility at the National Nuclear Center in the Almaty Oblast. Dosimetric radiation monitoring was carried out throughout the removal process. Kazchermetavtomatika JSC, radioisotope storage Source of ionizing radiation - cesium-137. A 2015 court decision assigned the waste to State control. In 2015, an environmental impact study was conducted and certified of the waste materials and site. In 2018, hazardous wastes from the territory of TEMK JSC were removed and destroyed. Temirtau, TEMK, JSC industrial territory A 2014 court decision assigned the waste to State control. A project - "Elimination of pollution resulting from the destruction of agricultural chemical warehouses in the village of Toguzak in the Karabalyk district of the Kostanay Oblast" - was developed in 2014; funding for the project was allocated in 2015. In 2018, pesticides and soil contaminated with agrochemical residues were cleaned up; derelict storage facilities dismantled; four hectares of land reclaimed. Waste chemicals were transported to a landfill and disposed of in adherence with environmental and sanitation regulations. Toguzak Pesticides: 230 tons of agrochemical residues; 320 tons soil contaminated with pesticides. A 2018 court decision assigned the waste to State control. An open tender for the sale of the waste was held, resulting in a contract between Zhasyl Damu, JSC and Ecofoir, LLP, and paying 85 M Tenge to the State budget. MU-3 territory, oil refinery and the decommissioned Alybsenoman Technical Water Intake Center 304,136 tons of oil sludge. A 2015 court decision assigned the waste to State control. By the close of 2019, more than million tons of household waste had accumulated in licensed landfills. 40 Generation of medical waste - 2018–2019 In 2018 and 2019, of the aggregate of medical waste, Class A waste had the largest generated volume. Prior to 2019, Class A waste volume was calculated in tons; beginning in 2019, the unit of measurement for this category was changed to cubic meters to facilitate calculation. Class E – radioactive waste Class A – non-hazardous waste: wastes that do not possess hazardous properties Class B – epidemiologically hazardous waste: infectious or potentially infectious waste C lass C – highly epidemiologically dangerous waste Class D – to xic hazardous waste Number of waste collection containers, recycling points and specialized equipment appearing alongside EPR With expanded manufacturer regulation comes manufacturer subsidies for the collection, transportation and processing of recyclables. In 2016-2018, total subsidies of 7 billion Tenge were allotted to more than 50 participating enterprises. Regional administrators have worked out 5-year sector development programs for 2016-2020. Program implementation metrics track the following: percentages of household and industrial waste sorted, percentage of landfills that comply with environmental and sanitation regulations, percentage of population with access to waste collection services. Registered landfills by region - 2018–2019 In 2019, more than 89 million tons of non-hazardous waste were recycled, reused or incinerated; in 2018, 73 million tons. To reduce waste accumulation, the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources plans to build waste incineration plants in Nur-Sultan, Almaty, Shymkent, Atyrau, Taraz and Aktobe. Planned outcomes include the reduction of landfill loads and energy production. red amber green 2017 2018 2019 1,7 2,1 2 4 109 4 129 4 165 122 764 145 831 176 339 Waste class / year Class A Class B Class C Class D Class E Equipment Solid Liquid 2018 30 920 t 15 779 t 559 t 114 465 pcs 10 480 kg 2 606 litres 57 t 2019 112 280 t 11 300 t 24 085 pcs 5774 kg 9,2 litres 400 t Containers for the collection of solid domestic waste Containers for the collection of electronic and mercury waste Mesh containers for plastic waste. Bins and containers for separate waste collection and special equipment Collection Points for electronic waste and recyclables Region Year Region / Site Type Solid waste landfills Hazardous waste landfills Non-hazardous waste landfills Solid waste landfills Hazardous waste landfills Non-hazardous waste landfills Akmola Oblast Aktobe Oblast Almaty Oblast Atyrau Oblast West Kazakhstan Oblast Jambyl Oblast Karaganda Oblast Kostanay Oblast Kyzylorda Oblast Mangystau Oblast Pavlodar Oblast North-Kazakhstan Oblast Turkestan Oblast East Kazakhstan Oblast Nur-Sultan Almaty Shymkent 0 321 460 0 1084 0 1967 0 5245 700 415 636 0 415 6276 0 0 199 133 195 40 54 111 98 150 874 0 9 79 0 9 447 100 2049 0 401 478 120 435 347 0 0 220 0 0 0 0 0 139 200 270 10 0 51 0 0 1 26 1 12 10 3 3 0 3 23 15 0 Availability of waste collection and removal services by region - 2019 Region Akmola Oblast Aktobe Oblast Almaty Oblast Atyrau Oblast West Kazakhstan Oblast Jambyl Oblast Karaganda Oblast Kostanay Oblast Kyzylorda Oblast Mangystau Oblast Pavlodar Oblast North-Kazakhstan Oblast Turkestan Oblast East Kazakhstan Oblast Nur-Sultan Almaty Shymkent Regional Coverage 45 74 79 44 75 95 74 77 66 85 85 57 91 70 100 100 95 2018 2019 Akmola Oblast Aktobe Oblast Almaty Oblast Atyrau Oblast West Kazakhstan Oblast Jambyl Oblast Karaganda Oblast Kostanay Oblast Kyzylorda Oblast Mangystau Oblast Pavlodar Oblast North-Kazakhstan Oblast Turkestan Oblast East Kazakhstan Oblast Nur-Sultan Almaty Shymkent 104 82 289 86 277 191 133 309 149 15 167 341 173 149 1 0 2 13 19 1 19 3 7 9 2 9 33 9 1 3 15 0 0 6 28 9 31 8 2 31 50 6 1 8 30 1 22 30 2 4 5 98 79 287 84 262 214 133 283 161 13 177 337 194 151 1 0 1 14 21 2 17 4 3 7 2 10 31 8 0 4 7 2 0 7 31 13 3 5 0 27 51 8 2 10 20 1 32 28 3 4 4 Waste received for sorting, disposal and storage - 2018-2019 2018 203 44 299 292 3 423 861 622 156 164 130 427 060 2 374 645 Numbers of organizations engaged in waste sorting, disposal, and deposit. Accumulated buried waste at the start of the year, tons Volume of incoming waste, tons Of incoming waste volume Sorted, tons Aggregate Sent for recycling Disposed, tons Buried, tons 2019 2014 40 779 877 3 860 881 1 041 094 142 401 248 142 2 521 066 Year Since 2016, prohibitions have been in place at landfills for the disposal of mercury-containing lamps and devices, scrap metal, waste oils and liquids, batteries and electronic waste; since 2019, expanded prohibitions include the disposal of plastic, packaging, cardboard, glass, and wastepaper. Starting in 2021, restrictions are planned to include the disposal of construction and food waste. Presently, only 17.6% of landfills and junk yards operating in the country are licensed and registered. The Ministry of Ecology has teamed with KGS Space Technologies, JSC to conduct satellite imaging of waste disposal sites throughout the country. In 2019, 9229 illegal landfills were identified, of which 28% were liquidated; in 2018 - 14% were shut down. In 2018, Akimats (regional councils) approved additional measures for up-to-date methods of disposal and processing of solid household waste: – development of waste management programs; – revision of existing fees; – introduction of designated collection containers, installation of sorting complexes; – raising popular awareness of the problem of household waste; – establishing State-Investment cooperative efforts to promote broader sector investment. – development of household waste management infrastructure; DATA ON HOUSEHOLD-FREE WASTE Waste disposal limits category I* enterprises - 2018-2019 (thousand tons) In 2018-2019, the KGS Space Technologies, JSC conducted satellite imagery monitoring of all major regional and national urban centers and territories to identify spontaneous (unregistered) landfills and junkyards. In 2018, OSCE Kazakhstan implemented the "Development of an Industrial Waste Management Strategy in Kazakhstan" Project in cooperation with the Kazakhstan Waste Management Association - KazWaste. Landfills and spontaneous landfills Identified via satellite monitoring - 2019 Satellite imagery accuracy – 91% 600 000 500 000 400 000 300 000 200 000 100 000 50 000 25 000 0 Region 2018 2019 Akmola Oblast Aktobe Oblast Atyrau Oblast Almaty Oblast EKO Jambyl Oblast WKO Karaganda Oblast Kyzylorda Oblast Kostanay Oblast Mangystau Oblast Pavlodar Oblast NKO Nur-Sultan Almaty Turkestan Oblast Shymkent Total: 666 483 458 1 775 701 1 345 745 thousand tons 600 000 500 000 400 000 300 000 200 000 100 000 50 000 25 000 0 thousand tons 171 764 71 352 2 480 155 022 49 748 226 1 467 560 536 640 255 141 15 633 2 009 2 842 1 168 1 549 186 413,6 77 469,2 542,5 2 000 167 093,8 54 681,2 234,4 344 499,7 1 305,4 536 876,1 893,8 273 747,1 17 109 2 320,7 2 691 30 671 733,9 Pavlodar Oblast EKO Almaty Oblast Jambyl Oblast Turkestan Oblast Kyzylorda Oblast Karaganda Oblast NKO Akmola Oblast Kostanay Oblast Aktobe Oblast WKO Atyrau Oblast Mangystau Oblast Landfills Spontaneous landfills 7 400 7 747 15 546 4 194 13 228 - 78 14 346 77 953 39 1 081 25 525 85 619 33 2 007 48 884 15 313
This interactive report was created by the Ministry of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan with the support of the European Commission, the United Nations Environment Programme, and Zoï Environment Network.