Deputy Erkayim Seytkazieva emphasized the need for regulations regarding the placement of landfills and the accounting of illegal dumps. She stressed that local authorities require practical and methodological support for the effective organization of these facilities.
Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision Meder Mashiev reported that the waste situation remains critical in the country. He noted that as part of the administrative-territorial reform, an inventory of illegal dumps had been conducted. "Previously, there were 411 illegal waste landfills in the country, but after consolidation, their number has decreased to 290. Despite this, there is still much work ahead, and we continue to strengthen measures to address this problem," the minister added.
He explained that many of these landfills did not have official status as they were created illegally. He cited Uzbekistan as an example, where approximately 120 official landfills operate with a population of about 40 million people.
The issue of the landfill in the village of Gagarin in the Issyk-Ata district, which is used by the city of Kant, was also raised at the meeting. According to the deputy, the landfill often catches fire during the summer, posing a threat to the health of local residents.
The minister stated that his department, together with international partners, is working on projects for sorting and recycling waste. Waste processing plants are already operating in Bishkek, and there are plans to increase their capacity. Additionally, the possibility of transporting waste from neighboring districts of the Chui region, including the Kemin and Issyk-Ata districts, is being considered.
The deputy urged the ministry to expedite the implementation of these projects, noting that residents of the region regularly raise this issue, especially during the summer season when smoke from the burning landfill worsens the ecological situation and the quality of life for the population.
