The Ministry of Ecology of Uzbekistan and the Korean Environmental Corporation (K-eco) have signed a four-year grant agreement worth $6.2mn to construct a waste processing plant in the Jizzakh region. The agreement was reached during an official visit to Seoul by a delegation led by Deputy Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change Iskandar Kutbiddinov from October 7 to 11.
During the visit, negotiations were held with several South Korean companies on cooperation in waste recycling. The Uzbek delegation was also introduced to the operations of enterprises that generate "green" energy by burning waste. Additionally, discussions were held with representatives of the Export-Import Bank of Korea to explore potential financial partnerships for environmental projects.
The plant, which will focus on landfill reclamation, aims to collect 300,000 cubic meters of waste, utilize pyrolysis technology to burn landfill gas, and generate electricity from waste. This collaboration marks a step toward advancing Uzbekistan's environmental safety and energy production goals.
Uzbekistan has been actively pursuing waste management reforms. In February, Minister of Ecology Aziz Abdukhakimov proposed creating special economic zones near landfills to facilitate energy and fertilizer production from waste. A pilot project in the Andijan region will see the construction of a $13mn plant producing 2mn kWh of electricity from waste annually, along with a fertilizer plant with a 100,000-ton annual capacity.
A new nationwide waste collection and recycling system was also announced, with plans to create “eco-industrial zones” in each region. These zones will oversee waste recycling at multiple landfills. Additionally, American company Sayar has plans to generate energy from medical waste, starting with projects in Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara.
In September, Andijan’s regional administration signed a memorandum with Jin Ming for a $250mn waste processing plant, highlighting Uzbekistan's growing commitment to sustainable waste management solutions.
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