Kazakhstan Environmental Technology Waste Management Opportunities

Kazakhstan faces serious challenges with waste management. Inadequate processing capacity, limited recycling infrastructure, and heavy reliance on illegal landfills are endemic. According to the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, of the roughly 4 million tons of municipal waste generated in 2023, only 24 percent was sorted and processed. Even this figure may be drastically optimistic: it was recently alleged by a government official that the real number is closer to 5 percent, and that the remaining waste is simply dumped or buried. More than five thousand illegal dumping sites were documented in 2023. Among sanctioned landfills, only 20 percent comply with environmental regulations.

In March 2024, the Government of Kazakhstan announced an initiative to construct 37 new waste plants while modernizing 8 existing plants. Kazakhstan’s annual waste processing capacity will increase to 1.5 million tons after the completion of these projects. This announcement presents a unique opportunity for American companies with expertise in waste management, recycling, and disposal technologies.
The Government of Kazakhstan will provide preferential financing through the Industrial Development Fund, a joint stock company established by President Tokayev in 2020 for the purpose of modernizing infrastructure and industrial capacity. Nearly $450 million dollars will be loaned with interest rates of 3 percent and loan periods ranging 3 - 15 years.

Waste treatment plants across Kazakhstan will be constructed and modernized. In Astana and Shymkent, two projects per city will be undertaken. Additional projects will be launched in Almaty, Pavlodar, Kyzylorda, and Aktobe regions. In Aktobe, the Eurasian Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is contributing $105 million to improve the quality of Aktobe Su-Energy Group JSC’s wastewater and sewage sludge treatment plant. The U.S. Commercial Service liaison office in the EBRD is available to provide information and discuss next steps with interested American companies.

U.S. companies in the environmental technology industry are well-positioned to compete in Kazakhstan’s growing waste management sector due to their innovative and reliable technologies, product and systems engineering expertise, and strong dedication to after-sale training and service..

For more information on actionable waste treatment opportunities in Kazakhstan, contact CS Kazakhstan Commercial Assistant Jacob.Ewing@trade.gov or Chrystal Denys at USAOffice@EBRD.com.