The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $60 million loan that will help improve and expand solid waste management (SWM) services in small urban and rural areas across Uzbekistan, as well as promote environmental sustainability.
The Sustainable Solid-Waste Management Project will assist the government in strengthening the regulatory framework, operationalize service delivery institutions, improve SWM collection service coverage, and enhance environmental compliance. Through the project, ADB continues to contribute to policy reforms that protect the environment and boost economic growth.
Uzbekistan’s State Committee for Ecology and Environmental Protection will also be strengthened through the provision of laboratory equipment and training for laboratory personnel. About 300 collection vehicles, 6,000 waste disposal bins, and other equipment will improve waste collection and interim disposal services in urban and rural areas nationwide, while innovative design features such as expanding GPS tracking to all waste management vehicles and deploying solar power technology in service centers will be introduced.
“ADB has been actively assisting the government in formulating its national strategy for effective solid waste management,” said ADB Urban Development Specialist for Central and West Asia Ruoyu Hu. “This project addresses institutional needs while expanding much-needed collection services to around 6 million unserved or underserved residents across the country.”
Since its independence in 1991, Uzbekistan has undergone a gradual transition to a market-based economy. In 2001, the Ministry of Communal Services was dissolved, with responsibility for collection, transport, and disposal of municipal solid waste transferred to municipal governments. However, these entities suffered severe performance issues, resulting in the systemic collapse of the nation’s SWM system.
Over the past few years, the Government of Uzbekistan implemented widespread sector reforms that improved municipal solid waste collection coverage nationwide. Strategic investments in SWM and other infrastructure are therefore an essential part of the government’s economic growth strategy.
