A project for the biological reclamation of the Koshkar-Ata tailings pond has been launched in the Mangystau region. According to the press service of the regional akimat, work began as part of an instruction from President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.
According to Lada.kz, from October, on a site covering 640 hectares, they plan to plant 1 million saplings of saxaul and install an irrigation system. The area is additionally being fenced with an iron fence.
The region's akim, Nurdaulet Kilybay, visited the site and called the project strategically important for the region's ecology.
"According to the results of a 2024 study, the level of radioactive contamination on the territory of the storage facility does not exceed the maximum permissible limits, therefore work on biological reclamation was recommended. On this basis, the project 'Creation of a Green Protective Zone for 2025-2026' was developed," the regional akimat reported.
Earlier, the problem of the tailings pond caused concern among the public and scientists. In 2013, specialists from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University identified genetic mutations in rodents living near the site.
Over the years, authorities attempted greening and protective measures, but the projects did not yield the desired result. In 2017, the estimated cost of reclamation was announced as over 17.5 billion tenge, and by 2023 the amount had risen to 49.5 billion tenge.
Thus, the launched phase of biological reclamation has become the largest attempt to date to stabilise the situation around Koshkar-Ata.
It is worth recalling that earlier, representatives of the non-governmental institution 'Eco Mangystau' (NGO) stated that the Koshkar-Ata tailings pond remains a high danger despite the measures being taken. According to them, the site continues to be a serious threat to the region's ecology and the health of its population.