Burning Without Warning: Landfill Fire Prevention and Waste-Governance Reform Near Almaty, Kazakhstan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.4250Keywords:
landfill fires, waste management, Kazakhstan, Almaty, environmental policy, documentary evidenceAbstract
This case study based on documentary evidence deals with the issue of fire prevention in landfills located near the village of "Ali" in the Almaty region of Kazakhstan. The study includes field notes, a transcript of a press interview, general reports on incidents and enforcement actions, government statistics, technical guidance, and comparative references on the experiences of Poland and South Korea. The study does not aim to find the cause of September 2025 fire or whether the operator is responsible for it. Rather, the materials reviewed highlights national deficiencies regarding authorized waste disposal and treatment capabilities, as well as issues regarding monitoring and follow-up enforcement actions regarding site-specific records. Poland is a model of fire fighting measures applied at the stage of issuing permits and financial guarantees, while South Korea is a model of infrastructure and collection systems associated with diverting food waste away from landfills.
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