Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Uzbekistan plans to introduce an environmental fee on a range of goods, according to a presentation by Minister of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change Aziz Abdukhakimov.

At the initial stage, the fee will apply to batteries and accumulators, vehicles, lubricants, packaging, tires and rubber tubes, as well as glass products.

The presidential press service reports that around 14 million tons of household waste are generated annually in the country, yet the recycling rate remains low. Thanks to projects implemented in recent years, it has reached 5%.

Each year, Uzbekistan accumulates about 144,000 tons of electronic waste (140,000 tons in 2024), 1.8 million tons of plastic, 647,000 tons of glass, 250,000 tons of oils, and 217,000 tons of rubber. Currently, only 17% of tires, 6.3% of glass, and 11.2% of plastics are recycled.

Most waste still ends up in landfills, causing air, water, and soil pollution.

Under the new plan, manufacturers will be made responsible for waste recycling and disposal. A special disposal fee fund will be established under the Waste Management and Circular Economy Development Agency with public participation. The fund’s resources will be used to provide “green” subsidies for recycling projects.

Experts estimate that recycling paper, plastic, rubber, glass, and textile waste alone could generate secondary raw materials worth up to 1 trillion soums annually.

Promising areas also include the recycling of construction, chemical, electronic, and technical waste, as well as industrial oils.