Developing Integrated and Green Solutions for Municipal Solid Waste Management in Kazakhstan

Project Summary:

Kazakhstan’s solid waste management system has not been able to keep up with the country’s rapid growth. It is estimated that 97 percent of the municipal waste generated there ends up in uncontrolled dumps and landfills that do not meet environmental and sanitary standards. And only 3-5 percent ends up being recycled. Plus, waste transportation vehicles are generally old and inadequate, which makes the collection process manually labor intensive and inefficient. This World Bank KGGTF-funded green growth implementation program aims build an integrated and efficient national solid waste management system in Kazakhstan as part of recent green growth and waste management strategies. Policy recommendations will include suggestions for tariff and fee structures, possible subsidies, innovative solutions for recycling, including food-waste digesters, and strengthening public-private partnerships. With these types of investments, green jobs and green growth can flourish.

List of Activities:

1. SWM Workshop in Astana and a study tour of small group of Kazakh officials
2. Study on financing and cost recovery options for Kazakhstan
3. Study on waste management and recycling options for Kazakhstan
4. Development of ToRs, and other project preparation documents

Outcomes:

Output 1:

• Final policy note containing recommendations for the local context

Output 2:

• Study report and technical options adapted from Korean examples for source segregation and technologies for SW treatment and recycling

Output 3:

• Number of participants in the events

Outcomes:

The expected outcomes from the activity can be separated by phases. Phase 1 focused on the Korean experience, drawing important lessons learned and examples that are relevant to the Kazakhstan reality. One key outcome from this phase will be the SWM workshop in Kazakhstan and a study tour for a small group of Kazakh officials that counted with the participation of authorities from the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and other relevant players in the SWM sector in the Country, as well as authorities from Korean SWM institutions. Phase 2 focused on the adaptation of the good practice examples from Korea to the Kazakhstan reality. Main outputs from this phase was a policy note on SWM financing and cost recovery options. The note focused on cost recovery and tariffs for the sector, analyzing potential options and providing recommendations for policy makers. A policy note on waste treatment and recycling options that would be suited for Kazakhstan, as well as Relevant documents for the preparation of the Kazakhstan SWM lending Project were created. All these outputs  the have been operationalized under the Kazakhstan SWM Project, which included infrastructure as well as institutional support components.

Collaboration with K-Partners and Others:

• WBG internal partners: The activity will count on the contribution from the Environment and Natural Resources Global Practice (GENDR) and the Social, Urban, Rural and Resilient Global Practice (GPSURR), which are jointly preparing Kazakhstan SWM Project. GPSURR is also implementing the other SWM KGGP grants, and counts with good practice examples that will be shared. The activity will also follow closely the GPSUR Project World: Leveraging Korean MSW Experience (P151967), in order to distill useful lessons learned from the Korean experience that could be directly applied to the Kazakh case.
• K-Partners: The activity will reach out to environmental authorities in Korea, as well as private sector actors. The principal institutions that will be contacted will be: the Korean Ministry of Environment (MoE), the Korean Environment Institute and the Korean Environment Corporation. In addition, potential partners could be the Sudokwon Landfill Corporation, as well as the City Governments from Seoul, Gwangju and Wonju, among others.
• Other external partners:  The Kazakh Ministry of Energy which is responsible for waste management and relevant local governments will be the key partner in Kazakhstan to work with. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is highly active in the region, and is in the process of developing a SWM project in Kazakhstan. The EBRD Project is also considering the introduction of energy producing technologies and recycling in Almaty, Kyzylorda and Pavlodar. The grant will coordinate with EBRD in terms of knowledge sharing and learning activities, and the EBRD team will be invited to participate and contribute to the workshop.