Parliamentary hearings were held in the Mazhilis of the Parliament

On November 14, 2025, parliamentary hearings were held in the Mazhilis of the Parliament, organized by the Respublica party, where the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan and Zhasyl Damu JSC presented the results and plans for waste management.

Waste management remains one of the key areas for ensuring environmental safety and sustainable development in Kazakhstan. The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, together with Zhasyl Damu JSC, presented interim results and planned measures in the field of municipal waste, hazardous waste, and extended producer and importer responsibility.

More than 4.5 million tons of municipal waste are generated annually in the country, while the recycling rate for the third quarter of 2025 amounted to 27%, against the target of 30%. According to satellite monitoring, 3,834 illegal dumpsites were identified, of which 2,867 (75%) have already been eliminated. For violations of environmental legislation, 165 officials were held administratively liable, and fines totaling more than 5.2 billion tenge were imposed for violations of public sanitation rules.

Special attention is given to municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. Around 3,000 landfills are in operation, more than 80% of which do not meet environmental requirements. To solve financing issues, a draft special government decree has been developed, providing for the construction of landfills using utilization fee funds in the amount of 53 billion tenge, with the participation of Zhasyl Damu JSC and “Baiterek” National Managing Holding. In parallel, a draft Concept for the Management of All Types of Waste for 2026–2030 has been prepared, which includes digital accounting, geoinformation monitoring, and the creation of a national digital waste management portal, as well as granting Zhasyl Damu JSC the status of the National Waste Management Center.

Investments in MSW projects will amount to 185 billion tenge by the end of 2026. As a result, MSW infrastructure will be developed, enabling an increase in MSW sorting capacity from the current 2 million tons per year to 4.3 million tons per year, and recycling capacity from 400 thousand tons per year to 1.4 million tons per year. The indirect effect of building MSW infrastructure will include the creation of more than 5,100 permanent jobs.

The EcoQolday digital platform, relaunched in February 2024, has become an important tool for supporting businesses in the collection, transportation, and recycling of packaging waste and auto components. A total of 74 contracts have already been signed, 43.96 thousand tons of waste have been sent for recycling, and 601.4 million tenge have been paid to program participants.

Zhasyl Damu JSC also actively promotes environmental awareness and separate waste collection. As part of the “Taza Kazakhstan” initiative, containers and modular stations have been installed in national parks, reverse vending machines are being introduced, work is being carried out in schools and with public organizations, and joint projects with the Association of Secondary Raw Materials Recyclers and eco-initiatives across the country are being implemented.

The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and Zhasyl Damu JSC will continue working to increase the level of waste recycling, modernize infrastructure, improve legislation, and engage citizens and businesses in addressing environmental challenges.