The Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis, in its meeting on December 24, deliberated upon and approved the draft law aimed at introducing new payment mechanisms in the field of waste collection and disposal services
On December 17, during the session, the draft law aimed at strengthening the payment discipline in the field of waste collection and disposal services, which thoroughly solidifies the guarantees of consumer rights adherence, was adopted in the first reading under the condition of substantial revision for the second reading
It is noted that during the preparation for the second reading of the draft law, the working group meetings, which included representatives of relevant ministries and agencies, lawyers, and experts, featured intense discussions of the draft law, with each clause being deeply analyzed by the deputies. The draft law was perfected based on the principle that human interest is above all.
Within this draft law, to eliminate indebtedness for waste services for the consumer, it was established that after the consumer is notified about their debt via a short message (SMS), a grace period of five days is given . Only after this period, if the debt is not cleared, legal norms directed at temporarily suspending the acceptance of payments for electricity will be implemented.
In this draft law, complete reinforcement of the guarantees of consumer rights observance is ensured, and organizations specialized in removing domestic waste are made responsible for the fair and accurate calculation of payments, including stipulations for compensating the consumer in cases where these requirements are not met.
According to the deputies, the adoption of this draft law serves to perfect the payment mechanisms for services provided to the population in waste collection and disposal , as well as to improve the quality of waste services provided.
In Uzbekistan, the practice of temporarily suspending the acceptance of payments for electricity from individuals who fail to pay after being notified about their waste debt was established by the decree signed on January 4, 2024, by the President of Uzbekistan titled “On measures to improve the waste management system and reduce its negative impact on the ecological situation”. The document noted that the payment for waste services had not been reviewed for the last four years, which adversely affected the economic state of sanitary cleaning enterprises considered business entities, resulting in inefficient and not fully effective waste collection, removal, sorting, and recycling.
The decree specifies the introduction of this practice in three phases:
- In the first phase, in Tashkent and Nukus cities as well as the regional centers starting from June 1, 2024, for a six-month indebtedness;
- In the second phase – throughout the Republic from November 1, 2024, for a three-month indebtedness;
- In the third phase, across the entire Republic from January 1, 2025, for a one-month indebtedness.
