The Ministry of Natural Resources, Ecology and Technical Supervision of Kyrgyzstan hosted the inaugural meeting of an interagency working group tasked with developing a state program for waste management in the Kyrgyz Republic. The meeting was held in a hybrid format, attended by international experts as well as representatives from state agencies and local government bodies.
The ministry noted that the development of this new strategic document marks the next stage in efforts to improve the country’s waste management system. The initiative focuses on the state program «Sustainable Management of Waste and Secondary Resources.»
This development follows earlier work to refine the legal and regulatory framework for waste management, introduce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) principles, and adopt technical regulations for the construction and operation of modern municipal solid waste landfills in compliance with Construction Standards and Regulations.
The program will be developed with the support of the Swiss Helvetas project «Improving Services at the Local Level».
The program is expected to be based on a conceptual plan that includes an analysis of the waste management sector’s status over the past five years, the identification of priority development areas, and a specific action plan.
The Ministry of Natural Resources anticipates that adopting this strategic document will enable a systemic shift in waste management approaches across Kyrgyzstan. Specifically, the program aims to create conditions that attract investment and international projects to develop the waste management system.
Furthermore, plans are in place to establish a unified legal, regulatory, and institutional framework for waste management at both national and local levels. This will help address existing legislative gaps and eliminate the duplication of authority among state agencies.
Another key focus area involves compiling baseline statistical, morphological, and analytical data on waste, as well as establishing generation standards. These metrics will serve as the foundation for the comprehensive development of the country’s waste management system.
Thus, the new state program should combine regulatory, institutional, investment, and practical measures to transition the Kyrgyz Republic to a more sustainable system of waste and secondary resource management.
