Bill adopting international mechanisms for reducing plastic waste will be drafted by the Ministry of Environmental Protection before November 1, 2025.
The bill is stipulated by the 2025 State Program as part of the Year of Environmental Protection and Green Economy.
The bill provide for the creation of plastic collection points, the installation of machines for receiving plastic bags and containers, or adopting container return practice that allows individuals to get paid for the plastic they hand over from importers or manufacturers.
Earlier, an inventory check of plastic waste showed that 10.2 million tons of waste are generated annually in Uzbekistan, 10.3% of which are plastic. In 2022, the volume of the latter was 2.5 times more than in 2013. The largest consumers of plastic are the packaging sector, transport, and construction.
Almost every province has enterprises producing plastic products, including tableware and bags. In addition, imports of plastic products into the country significantly exceed exports and topped 158.5 thousand tons worth $487.5 million in 2023. Exports of plastic goods from Uzbekistan in 2023 amounted to 47.3 thousand tons worth $90.1 million.
The Ministry of Ecology, presenting the findings of the inventory, noted that for the effective management of plastic waste, it was necessary to increase the number of recycling enterprises, especially for polyethylene, polypropylene and PET.
The draft state program had also proposed to ban the production, import and use of plastic bags from 2027, as well as to stimulate the use of eco-friendly (biodegradable) bags.
