Súrefni sustainability recently provided consulting for a plastic collection and recycling project located in the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan.
In Karaganda, approximately 61,000 tons of plastic waste are produced, used, and discarded annually, with only about 20% of the waste being sorted and placed in the proper recycling stream.
The project aims to scale up the collection and recycling of plastic in the area. The project management is handled by the company Gorkomtrans, which operates about 17 staffed waste collection stations throughout the city, one sorting station, and one recycling facility where PET, LDPE, and HDPE plastics are recycled in the thousands of tons annually.
Gorkomtrans also operates a collection station in the poorer part of the city, where residents can bring plastic and sell it for a modest price.
The hope is that certification and subsequent sales of plastic credits for Gorkomtrans' operations will enable them to scale up their activities and handle the collection and recycling of most of the plastic in the region.