Nearly 2,000 illegal landfills found in Uzbekistan through satellite monitoring

A recent satellite monitoring effort conducted by the Uzbekkosmos agency has uncovered 1,928 illegal waste dumps spanning a total area of approximately 721 hectares across Uzbekistan. The findings highlight a significant environmental challenge, with illegal waste sites impacting soil, water, and air quality.

Photo: Uzbekkosmos

Among these, 123 sites covering 255.5 hectares were identified as being outside designated waste storage facilities, while 1,805 sites, encompassing 465.2 hectares, were classified as unauthorized landfills.

The Tashkent region recorded the highest number of illegal dumps, with 363 sites covering 98.6 hectares. Other regions with a high concentration of waste sites include Karakalpakstan with 243 sites (63.2 hectares), Navoi region with 216 sites (112.4 hectares), and Namangan region with 195 sites (42 hectares).

Regions with the lowest numbers of illegal waste sites were Jizzakh, with 39 sites (30.44 hectares), and Surkhandarya, with 40 sites (20.11 hectares). No unauthorized landfills were reported in the capital, Tashkent.

"Illegal waste dumps pose significant environmental risks, negatively affecting soil, water, and air quality. They also contribute to the proliferation of harmful insects, the spread of infectious diseases, and an increased risk of respiratory illnesses and lung cancer," the agency stated.