Kazakhstan Plans to Track Waste from the Bin to Recycling

Kazakhstan plans to create a digital platform that will make it possible to track waste throughout its entire lifecycle — from the moment it is generated to its recycling. The new system will also provide for the creation of a unified infrastructure database and the development of electronic waste trading, according to JSC Zhasyl Damu.

Waste to Be Tracked Digitally

JSC Zhasyl Damu, which has been designated as the National Waste Management Center, is working on the introduction of a unified digital platform for the waste management sector.

The platform is expected to make it possible to track where waste was generated, how it was transported, and where it was ultimately sent — whether for recycling or to other facilities.

The system is expected to include digital passports for waste generators, tools for monitoring waste movement, and a unified database of waste management infrastructure facilities.

Developing a Waste Market

Another priority is the development of a fully functioning waste market. To achieve this, electronic waste trading tools are expected to be introduced.

Economic support measures for businesses engaged in waste recycling are also planned.

Under this approach, some types of waste will be viewed not merely as material requiring disposal, but as secondary raw materials that can be returned to economic circulation and reused.

What Will Change in Rural Areas

A separate system is planned for the management of municipal solid waste in rural areas.

The initiative provides for the introduction of a digital municipal waste management model, the development of the necessary infrastructure, and new mechanisms for planning waste collection and transportation.

The changes will also affect industrial waste. Measures in this area are expected to encourage recycling, attract domestic and foreign investment, and support the establishment of recycling facilities directly at waste generation sites.

The new system is being developed as part of Kazakhstan’s Concept for the Management of All Types of Waste for 2026–2030, approved by the Government on December 31, 2025.

The main objective of the Concept is to establish a system in which waste is not only disposed of but, wherever possible, returned to economic circulation as a resource.