On July 18th, the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change arranged a press tour to visit the ProfPack waste processing facility in Tashkent's Yangihayot district. Umar Abdullayev, the head of the department within the ministry, provided insights into the country's waste processing efforts during the event.
ProfPack serves as a paper waste and paper recycling enterprise, capable of processing 2,000 tons of paper daily. Abdullayev highlighted the challenges posed by increasing waste as the population grows, living standards improve, and product variety expands. Proper and timely disposal, efficient utilization, and recycling through a circular economy become crucial aspects of managing waste effectively.
Annually, around 7mn tons of household waste is generated in the country, amounting to an average of 650-750 grams of waste per day per person. Abdullayev raised concerns about the fate of this waste and the need for improved waste management practices.
Currently, only one-third of the waste generated in Uzbekistan undergoes processing. The lack of a proper waste sorting and collection system leads to the mixing of recyclable and non-recyclable waste in landfills, hindering efficient recycling efforts. The country houses approximately 300 waste processing enterprises capable of handling up to 25-30% of the waste, leaving room for improvement in waste management infrastructure.
Certain hazardous materials, such as hygienic, chemical products, baby diapers, oil, and paints, are not yet being recycled. Despite this, there are ongoing efforts, spurred by the president's decision, to gradually enhance the waste sorting system and address these challenges for the benefit of the environment and human health.
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