President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed Measures to Further Improve and Enhance Management of Household Waste Decree according to which Uzbekistan stores will charge for plastic bags from January 1, 2019.
Retailers are prohibited from offering free plastic bags when selling goods. Also it is banned to add the cost of bags in total cost of goods and their sale below cost. it is prohibited to produce polymer bags with less than 40 microns thick.
The only exception are biodegradable polymer packs without handles - which are part of the packaging of goods, and which are sold in rolls.
The decree provides for equipping the waste collecting companies with special equipment, improving the landfills and creating infrastructure in settlements.
29 billion soums will be allocated for the construction of new waste disposal points throughout the country, toequip them with trash containers - 3.6 billion soums.
In 2019-2021 waste collecting companies will get 590 garbage trucks, 84 bulldozers and 59 forklift trucks.
It is planned to strengthen public control over the environment. IT developemtn ministry was instructed to design a web portal until September 1, to post photos and videos about violations in this sphere.
The environmental protection committee is tasked to develop, in cooperation with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, effective mechanisms for prosecuting persons for pollution of territories, as well as harshening penalties for violations in the field of waste management.
Until 2023, organizations working in the field of household waste management are exempted from fees to the Republican Road Fund under the Cabinet of Ministers upon registration of purchased new special domestic vehicles in the bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
