Can Uzbekistan solve its waste problem with Chinese incineration plants? – Global Voices

Report on Uzbekistan’s Waste-to-Energy Initiative in the Context of Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction

The Republic of Uzbekistan has initiated a series of Waste-to-Energy (WTE) projects in partnership with Chinese corporations to address its escalating waste management crisis. This initiative directly targets several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to clean energy, sustainable cities, and climate action. However, significant concerns regarding governance, environmental safety, and public health pose challenges to the long-term sustainability of these projects, impacting goals related to justice and well-being.

Project Analysis: Sino-Uzbek WTE Cooperation

Initial Project Implementation

Construction has commenced on Uzbekistan’s first WTE facilities, representing a significant foreign direct investment in the nation’s environmental infrastructure.

1. Andijan Province Plant: A partnership with China International CAMCE, this facility is designed to process 1,500 tons of waste daily to generate 240 million kWh of electricity. The project is fully funded by a USD 140 million investment from CAMCE.
2. Samarkand Province Plant: A collaboration with Shanghai SUS Environment, this plant mirrors the Andijan facility’s capacity, processing 1,500 tons of waste for 240 million kWh of electricity, with a total investment of USD 150 million.

National Waste Management Strategy

The Uzbek government has outlined a comprehensive plan to expand its WTE capacity, aiming to transform the waste management sector by 2027. Key elements of this strategy include:

• Construction of at least seven WTE plants in partnership with three Chinese firms: CAMCE, SUS Environment, and China Everbright International.
• Additional projects with investors from the UAE (Tadweer Group) and South Korea to generate electricity from landfill gases.
• A projected total capacity to process over 4.7 million tons of waste annually, generating 2.1 billion kWh of electricity.
• Anticipated environmental benefits include saving 152 million cubic meters of natural gas and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2.4 million tons per year.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Contributions to Sustainable Infrastructure and Climate Action

• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): The projects are set to contribute 2.1 billion kWh of electricity to the national grid, diversifying the energy mix and utilizing waste as a resource.
• SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities): By diverting waste from poorly managed landfills, many of which are located near human settlements, the initiative aims to mitigate a critical urban sanitation and pollution problem.
• SDG 13 (Climate Action): The plan directly addresses climate change by targeting a reduction of 2.4 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually that would otherwise be released from landfills.
• SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation): The initiative seeks to prevent the pollution of soil and water sources caused by toxic leachates from open-air landfills.

Challenges to Sustainable and Equitable Development

Despite alignment with several SDGs, the implementation of Uzbekistan’s WTE strategy raises critical concerns that challenge other core development goals.

Governance and Transparency Deficits (SDG 16)

The projects exhibit a lack of transparency and public accountability, undermining SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).

• Lack of Competitive Tendering: Contracts were awarded without an open and transparent bidding process.
• Opaque Financial Terms: The Uzbek state has guaranteed the purchase of electricity for 30 years, but the pricing and other contractual concessions remain undisclosed. This raises risks of unfavorable terms, as seen in a similar Sino-Kyrgyz WTE deal.
• Absence of Public Consultation: There are no apparent mechanisms for public feedback or grievance redressal, limiting community participation in decisions affecting their health and environment.

Environmental and Public Health Risks (SDG 3 & SDG 12)

The reliance on incineration technology presents potential risks to public health and conflicts with principles of responsible production.

• Health Impacts: Studies have linked incinerator emissions to severe health conditions. The incineration of plastic, which constitutes over 10% of Uzbekistan’s waste, releases hazardous pollutants like dioxins, furans, and microplastics into the ecosystem. This poses a direct threat to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).
• Conflict with Circular Economy Principles: The focus on incineration prioritizes energy recovery over waste reduction, reuse, and recycling, which are higher on the waste management hierarchy and central to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production).

International Context and Chinese Industrial Policy

Overcapacity and the Belt and Road Initiative (SDG 17)

The expansion of Chinese WTE firms into Uzbekistan is driven by domestic market saturation and is framed as a partnership under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), invoking SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

• Domestic Market Saturation: China’s WTE industry grew from 67 plants in 2005 to 1,010 in 2023, creating significant overcapacity with plants operating at approximately 60% load rate. This has compelled companies to seek international markets.
• BRI Framework: Chinese state-affiliated media portrays these investments as contributions to the BRI, promoting an integrated “investment, construction, and operation” model in overseas environmental projects. Uzbekistan is identified as an attractive partner due to its strategic location and investment-friendly policies.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on Uzbekistan’s waste-to-energy (WTE) plants addresses several interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary focus is on waste management, energy production, and environmental protection, but it also touches upon health, infrastructure, institutional transparency, and international partnerships.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The article connects waste management directly to public health. It notes that existing landfills create “adverse health impacts” by polluting soil and water. President Mirziyoyev is quoted saying, “the health of the population” depends on this sector. Furthermore, it raises concerns about the new WTE plants, citing studies that link incinerators to “neoplasia, birth defects, infant mortality, and miscarriages” and the release of hazardous emissions like “dioxins, furans, microplastics.”

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

  A core objective of the WTE projects is energy generation. The article specifies that the plants will collectively generate “2.1 billion kWh of electricity” and save “152 million cubic meters of natural gas.” This initiative contributes to Uzbekistan’s energy stability and diversifies its energy sources by using waste, which can be considered a form of renewable energy.

• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

  The construction of multiple WTE plants represents a significant upgrade to Uzbekistan’s waste management infrastructure. The article describes these as “grandiose plans drawn up by China and Uzbekistan to transform the country’s waste management industry.” This involves large-scale foreign investment (“USD 140 million” from CAMCE, “USD 150 million” from SUS Environment) to build modern industrial facilities.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The article’s central theme is managing urban waste to create cleaner, more sustainable living environments. It highlights the problem of landfills being located close to “human settlements” and polluting the local environment. The WTE plants are presented as a solution to reduce the “adverse per capita environmental impact of cities” by addressing municipal waste management.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  This goal is relevant as the article discusses the lifecycle of materials and waste generation. It points out Uzbekistan’s massive waste problem, with “14 million tons of waste” produced annually and a very low recycling rate of only “4 percent.” The WTE plants are a post-consumption strategy to manage this waste, aiming to substantially reduce the amount sent to landfills.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  The projects are explicitly linked to climate change mitigation. The article states that current landfills “pollute the atmosphere” with “over 7 million tons of greenhouse gases” annually. The new WTE ventures are projected to “reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2.4 million tons,” directly contributing to climate action efforts.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article raises significant concerns related to governance and institutional transparency, which are central to SDG 16. It highlights a “lack of transparency around the deals,” questions why the government did not organize an “open tender,” and notes that officials “have not implemented any mechanisms to receive public feedback, complaints, or input.” This points to a deficit in accountable and transparent institutions.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The entire initiative is a large-scale international partnership. It involves collaboration between the Uzbek government and multiple Chinese companies (CAMCE, SUS Environment, China Everbright International), as well as investors from the UAE and Korea. The article frames this cooperation within China’s “Belt and Road Initiative (BRI),” showcasing a public-private partnership model for achieving development goals.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues discussed, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 3.9: Substantially reduce deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and pollution

   The article directly relates to this target by discussing the health risks from existing and future waste management practices. It mentions that landfills release “43,000 tons of toxic leachates” annually, causing “adverse health impacts.” It also raises concerns that incinerating plastic can release “dioxins, furans, microplastics, and other persistent and hazardous chemical emissions,” which are linked to severe illnesses.

2. Target 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix

   The WTE plants contribute to this target by generating “2.1 billion kWh of electricity” from waste, a source often classified as renewable. This project increases the proportion of energy generated from non-fossil fuel sources in Uzbekistan’s energy mix.

3. Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable

   The construction of new WTE plants is a direct effort to upgrade the country’s waste management infrastructure to be more technologically advanced and, in theory, more sustainable than open-air landfills. The article describes this as a plan to “transform the country’s waste management industry.”

4. Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management

   This is a central target addressed by the article. The entire project is a response to Uzbekistan’s “mounting waste problem” and the pollution from landfills near cities. The goal is to manage the “14 million tons of waste” produced annually more effectively, thereby reducing urban pollution.

5. Target 12.5: Substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse

   The article highlights Uzbekistan’s failure to meet this target, with a recycling rate of only “4 percent.” The WTE plants are a form of waste reduction (by volume) and recovery, aiming to divert “more than 4.7 million tons of waste” annually that “would have otherwise gone to landfills.”

6. Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

   The WTE initiative is a national-level strategy presented by President Mirziyoyev as a solution to environmental problems. The explicit goal of reducing “greenhouse gas emissions by 2.4 million tons” shows the integration of climate mitigation measures into the country’s infrastructure and energy planning.

7. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels

   The article critically examines the lack of progress toward this target. It questions the absence of an “open tender,” the secrecy of the deals signed with Chinese investors, and the lack of public consultation mechanisms. This critique directly addresses the need for more transparent and accountable governance in infrastructure projects.

8. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships

   The projects are examples of public-private partnerships between the Uzbek state and foreign companies. The article discusses the nature of these partnerships, including the financial investments and the 30-year electricity purchase guarantees, illustrating a key model for financing development projects.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article provides several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure progress:

• Energy Generation: The amount of electricity produced, specified as “240 million kilowatt-hours (kWh)” per plant and a total of “2.1 billion kWh” annually. This is a direct indicator for Target 7.2.
• Waste Management Capacity: The volume of waste processed, stated as “1,500 tons of waste daily” for each of the first two plants and a total of “more than 4.7 million tons of waste” annually for all planned projects. This measures progress for Targets 11.6 and 12.5.
• Greenhouse Gas Reduction: The projected reduction in emissions, quantified as “2.4 million tons” of greenhouse gases. This is a key indicator for Target 13.2.
• Investment in Infrastructure: The financial commitment to the projects, including “USD 140 million” and “USD 150 million” for the first two plants. This serves as an indicator for Targets 9.4 and 17.17.
• Waste Recycling Rate: The current rate is stated as “4 percent.” An increase in this rate would be an indicator of progress towards a more circular economy under Target 12.5.
• Reduction in Landfill Pollution: The article mentions current pollution levels from landfills (“7 million tons of greenhouse gases and 43,000 tons of toxic leachates”). A reduction in these figures would be a key indicator for Targets 3.9 and 11.6.
• Institutional Transparency (Qualitative): The article implies negative indicators for Target 16.6, such as the “lack of transparency,” the absence of “open tender” processes, and no “mechanisms to receive public feedback.” The introduction of such mechanisms would be a positive indicator.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: globalvoices.org