President Ilham Aliyev has signed a decree on additional measures to improve waste management in the country. The move aims to modernize environmental oversight and streamline the processing of solid waste across Azerbaijan.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the State Agency for Waste Management has been established under the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources. The Agency is a structural body within the ministry responsible for state control, regulation, and coordination in the fields of waste generation, collection, sorting, transportation, placement, processing, utilization, neutralization, and disposal, as well as the collection of waste fees.
Under the decree, the Cabinet of Ministers must prepare and submit several proposals to the head of state. These include the draft regulations and structure of the Agency, as well as its staffing limits, within two months. Furthermore, the government is tasked with submitting proposals for the improvement of the "Law on Waste" and other normative legal acts within four months, taking into account advanced international practices. By the five-month mark, a draft "National Strategy for Improving Solid Waste Management for 2027–2030" must be presented, coordinated with the broader "Social-Economic Development Strategy for 2027–2030."
The establishment of this agency aligns with Azerbaijan's ongoing commitment to ecological sustainability and the "Green World Solidarity Year" initiative. By centralizing waste management under a specialized state body, Azerbaijan seeks to implement more efficient recycling protocols and reduce the environmental footprint of urban and industrial centers. The Cabinet of Ministers has also been instructed to resolve issues regarding the Agency's material and technical support, funding for maintenance costs, and the provision of an administrative building within two months.
