Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 14 August, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev reviewed a presentation outlining measures to expand waste recycling.

Over the past three years, more than 2 trillion soums have been allocated from various sources to this sector, which is critical for public sanitation and health protection. In 2024, the Waste Management and Circular Economy Development Agency was established. Enterprises working with waste have acquired 1,200 units of modern equipment, and collection sites have been set up in local neighborhoods.

The sector, previously under state monopoly, has been opened to entrepreneurship. Sanitation and recycling enterprises benefit from preferential profit and social tax rates of 1%, while imported equipment and machinery are exempt from customs duties. Currently, there are approximately 200 sanitation enterprises and 290 recycling companies operating in the country.

Uzbekistan generates 14 million tons of household waste annually, yet only about 5% is recycled. One-quarter of this waste consists of paper, plastic, rubber, glass, and textile residues, the recycling of which could yield raw materials valued at up to 1 trillion soums.

Projects for energy generation from waste are being supported. Chinese investors are constructing six plants across various regions, with the state guaranteeing payment for waste disposal and purchased energy. In Tashkent, two medical waste-to-energy plants have already been commissioned, with similar facilities planned in Samarkand and other regions.

Special attention is being paid to service convenience for citizens: online tracking of garbage truck routes and arrival times will be implemented. A two-year program is also being developed to provide all social institutions and neighborhoods with waste containers.

The President emphasized the importance of fostering an environmental culture, beginning in kindergartens and schools.