Environmental Specialist Plants Seeds of Consciousness in

UNCLAS BISHKEK 000930 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN AND SCA/PPD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV KPAO KG SUBJECT: Environmental Specialist Plants Seeds of Consciousness in Kyrgyzstan SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION ¶1. (SBU) Summary: IIP Speaker Jaime Lozano, Los Angeles Environmental Specialist with over twenty years experience in solid waste management, raised awareness of the solid waste disposal challenges facing Kyrgyzstan. He met with students, academicians, NGO's, and local authorities in the capital city and in the tourist area surrounding Lake Issyk-Kul. A visit to the Bishkek Municipal Landfill revealed that improper precautions are being taken to protect local residents from exposure to potential toxins and disease. End Summary. BISHKEK LANDFILL: SOCIETY'S DIRTY LAUNDRY -------------- ¶2. (SBU) The city of Bishkek, including suburbs, has a population of nearly a million residents and produces roughly 300,000 tons of solid waste annually. Bishkek does not have a formal recycling program and the landfill, opened in 1973 and designed for 10 years of use, operates beyond capacity. The 59-acre landfill is poorly constructed, lacking a liner to protect the soil and water from run-off, or "leachate." According to standard landfill operating procedures, the landfill should be covered daily by dirt or other material to protect the air from toxins. The landfill in Bishkek is uncovered, and trash is collected in big mounds which smolder, producing toxic smoke. LANDFILL TOXINS THREATENS LOCAL POPULATION -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Local residents, mostly internal migrants who have built settlements on land belonging to the landfill, rummage through trash, collecting wood, metal, cardboard, and plastic bottles. The landfill director denied that children are among the scavengers, but on a visit to the landfill during the first week of school, we saw several children picking through trash. The landfill is loosely guarded and is not fenced. The director explained that squatters have occupied 207 acres of adjacent land that was earmarked for landfill expansion, making it impossible to expand the landfill. Leachate, uncovered trash, and unchecked banned hazardous compounds pose a significant threat to the public health of local residents. LOZANO: YOUR WASTE IS "GOLD" - DON'T THROW IT AWAY -------------- -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Despite the sorry state of the Bishkek landfill, Lozano was optimistic that local authorities could find the political will to fix the problems. Lozano explained to local authorities that recycling would not only help the environment, but could also improve the local economy. In fact, some unofficial recycling is already taking place. The scavengers who live near the landfill wash and sell plastic bottles for recycling in China. There are several cardboard recycling centers, and a local company, "Altyn Ajidar" ("Golden Dragon"),makes paper products and boxes from recycled cardboard. However, much work needs to be done to educate the local population about separating out recyclables. Construction of a recycling sorting facility would not only reduce the amount of solid waste going into the landfill, but would also create jobs and humane working conditions for the people who live at the landfill. ¶5. (SBU) Comment: While Lozano was most often greeted with skepticism and a "show me the money" attitude, he quickly established himself as an expert on the details of solid waste disposal. Of particular interest to his Kyrgyz interlocutors were his ideas about how to make money on garbage. As a follow-on to his visit, Post will expand contacts with UNDP environmental specialists and will develop ways to increase local environmental awareness. Initial ideas include translation and publication of environmentally themed children's books and more public events with environmental themes. GFOELLER