Senator Olga Bulavkina sent a parliamentary inquiry to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan Olzhas Bektenov regarding the critical situation with plastic waste in Kazakhstan.
Today, only 10% of plastic is recycled in the country; everything else ends up in landfills or is burned, releasing hazardous substances.
At the same time, about 90,000 tons of PET plastic are generated in the country annually, but in the large cities of Almaty and Astana, only 7,000 and 5,000 tons are collected, respectively. This makes recycling economically unprofitable.
Among the key problems that the senator pointed out were the low level of culture of separate waste collection, the lack of necessary infrastructure, as well as outdated state standards for plastic products, which have not been revised since 2008.
In addition, the composition of the plastic itself is alarming: up to 600 toxic chemicals can be used in its production. Microplastics, which enter the human body along with water and food, pose a separate threat.
What the senator proposes:
Create a state program to support processors: tax breaks, subsidies, “green” grants, attracting private investment;Develop a circular economy – so that plastic becomes a resource, not waste. Introduce a deposit system for the return of containers, integrate recycling into housing and communal services, create new jobs;Support startups and initiatives such as Eco Network and the developments of VKTU named after D. Serikpaev. They can locally recycle waste right on site;Build modular mini-factories for plastic processing in remote regions with a capacity of up to 5–10 tons per day, taking into account logistics and energy costs.In addition, Bulavkina emphasized the importance of cooperation with France, which has already abandoned a number of types of disposable plastic and is ready to share its experience and technologies.
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