On November 14, Bishkek’s newly constructed waste-to-energy plant received its first pilot batch of municipal solid waste, marking a major milestone in Kyrgyzstan’s efforts to modernize waste management and expand sustainable energy infrastructure.
According to the Bishkek municipality, 17 garbage trucks delivered 126 tons of solid waste to the facility. Once the accumulated volume reaches 1,000 tons, the incineration process will begin, generating electricity from waste.
The pilot delivery was attended by Minister of Natural Resources, Ecology, and Technical Supervision Meder Mashiev and Bishkek Mayor Aibek Junushaliev, underscoring the project’s national significance as Kyrgyzstan’s first major waste recycling initiative.
Located at Bishkek’s primary landfill site, the plant was constructed by China’s Hunan Junxin Environmental Protection Co. Ltd. In its initial phase, the facility is expected to process 1,000 tons of waste daily, with plans to scale capacity up to 3,000 tons per day. Total investment in the project stands at $95 million.
The official inauguration is scheduled for December 26, 2025.
The project represents a critical step in addressing the capital’s growing waste management challenges while advancing Kyrgyzstan’s clean energy goals. Solid waste disposal has become increasingly urgent, particularly in Bishkek, the country’s largest city.
According to the 24.kg news agency, Kyrgyzstan collected 1.792 million tons of solid waste nationwide in 2023, up from 1.177 million tons in 2019, equating to approximately 279 kilograms per capita annually. Bishkek’s sanitary landfill alone receives about 200 tons of waste per day from the city and its surrounding areas, according to landfill director Nurlan Jumaliev.
In June, Hunan Junxin also began constructing a similar waste-to-energy facility in Osh, Kyrgyzstan’s second-largest city. That plant will produce both electricity and heat from incinerated waste.
The company is expanding its presence in Central Asia. In August, Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources announced that Hunan Junxin will build the country’s first waste-to-energy plant in Almaty.
