Kumtor Gold Company Lends Technical Support to Introduce Separate Waste Collection in Bishkek Yard

Kumtor Gold Company Lends Technical Support to Introduce Separate Waste Collection in Bishkek Yard

published: 21 July 2017

Residents of one of the yards in Bishkek microdistrict “Jal” have successfully introduced the separate waste collection. This has become possible within the separate waste collection project “Uch Chaka / Three Bins,” implemented by the Inon Public Foundation with the financial support of the Small Grants Program of the US Embassy in the Kyrgyz Republic and technical assistance of Kumtor Gold Company.

The yard residents now divide their waste into four categories: plastic, waste paper, hazardous and food waste. Plastic and paper waste are sent to the local recycling plants. Hazardous waste is collected into a special container. All food waste is put on a daily basis into the plant, which produces compost (fertilizer) within 5 days. The plant is hermetically sealed and does not produce any bad odor. The compost is used for landscape gardening of the yard.

The waste recycling and composting system helped the yard residents learn how to correctly sort the waste into four categories. Most importantly, this will reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill and thus will contribute to the preservation of the environment.

Volunteers organized an environmental school for children of the yard residents. Owing to the support of the gold mining company, the residents had the opportunity to visit the municipal landfill, as well as to see with their own eyes the waste recycling processes at the local garbage recycling plant, which also cooperates with Kumtor and recycles part of its mine waste. Children had the opportunity to pull up their English, learn the acting skills, as well as to master the basics of creating various goods from recyclable materials.

In addition, KGC representative brought gifts for small participants of the project – “busy boards,” i.e. developing boards for preschool children. “I am very glad that there are such communities in Bishkek, which support environmental trends and give the environmental education to the children. I was pleasantly surprised when I learnt about this project, and I hope that in the future there will be even more communities that will continue this important activity. Thank you all for thinking about our environment and nature,” Kumtor’s Environmental Projects Manager Olga Medoeva said.