The problem of unauthorized dumps was discussed in Bishkek
At a roundtable held in Bishkek on June 20, 2023, titled Sanitary and Environmental Problems of the Border Areas of Bishkek and the Development of Intermunicipal Cooperation, key stakeholders came together to discuss the escalating issue of unauthorized waste disposal in and around Bishkek.
The event saw the participation of representatives from the Mayor's Office of Bishkek, the municipal enterprise Tazalyk, Sokuluk, Alamud and Issyk-Ata district state administrations, village administrations including Orok, Novopavlovka, Novopokrovka, Kun-Tuu, Voenno-Antonovka, Prigorodnoye, Maevka, and various private waste management companies and industry experts.
The central point of discussion was the recurring problem of unauthorized dumps appearing in the border areas of neighboring villages. The roundtable noted that villagers have been transporting and depositing their waste in bins within Bishkek city limits, creating an unnecessary strain and cost for the municipal enterprise Tazalyk.
Tazalyk Director, Ramiz Aliyev, informed that out of 79,000 tons of waste transported to Bishkek's sanitary landfill in the first half of 2023, and 11,000 tons came from neighboring districts.
In response to this issue, participants mulled over a potential intermunicipal cooperation strategy, outsourcing waste disposal to private companies, and developing new ways to educate residents about the consequences of their actions, and mechanisms to counter this issue.
The roundtable was a part of the Public Service Improvement project, implemented by Helvetas and the Development Policy Institute, and supported by the Swiss Government. It represents a crucial first step towards identifying and implementing long-term, sustainable solutions for waste management in Bishkek urban area.