Kazakhstan proposes revising waste tariffs every three yearsKazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources has proposed amendments to the Environmental Code, suggesting that tariffs for solid domestic waste (SDW) be reviewed at least once every three years, according to Minister Yerlan Nysanbayev."The current SDW tariffs do not cover the actual costs incurred by specialized enterprises. For instance, in Atyrau, the approved tariff is 379 tenge, while the regional administration had proposed 527 tenge. The solution, he said, could be addressed through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mechanism, by setting a cap on SDW tariffs that are economically attractive. The difference between the current and economically viable tariffs would be reimbursed to the private partner via waste disposal payments," Nysanbayev explained.To improve efficiency, the ministry proposes delegating the authority to approve these capped tariffs to local akimats. The proposed changes are currently under review in the Majilis.Nysanbayev also noted that, since the 2021 adoption of the new Environmental Code, local governments were required to revise and approve SDW tariffs, but so far, only 155 out of 211 regions and cities have done so.According to the Ministry of Ecology, Kazakhstan generates over 4.5 million tonnes of municipal waste annually. In 2024, the recycling rate was 25.8%, short of the target of 30%, with seven regions failing to meet the plan. The biggest gaps were observed in the Ulytau region (12%), Almaty city (7.3%), the regions of Mangistau (5.5%) and North Kazakhstan (5%), and Shymkent city (3.5%). (ICE ALMATY)

Fonte notizia: INTERFAX