The company Caspiy Operating LLP, which handles the removal of solid household waste (MSW) in Aktau, has addressed an open letter to the city's residents. The reason behind this is increasingly frequent disruptions to the waste collection schedule. As the company explained, the system is close to collapse, caused by a mismatch between the current tariff and actual costs, as well as a critically high level of debt owed by residents and businesses.
According to Lada.kz, representatives of Caspiy Operating LLP stated that the current tariff for MSW removal was approved in 2022 and has not changed since, despite rising prices:
- fuel has risen from 219 to 310 tenge per litre;
- prices for spare parts and vehicle maintenance have more than doubled;
- driver salaries, due to staff outflows, have been increased to 400,000 tenge, while the current tariff only allows for 250,000 tenge.
Another factor worsening the situation is the accumulated debt of consumers, which is now approaching 700 million tenge.
"This sum is paralysing the company's operations. We have virtually no effective levers to influence persistent defaulters in order to recover these debts," the company stated.
The company specifically highlighted the issue with businesses that refuse to sign contracts but regularly use the containers, especially for bulky waste and cardboard.
It is noted that this creates an additional unpaid burden on refuse trucks, while conscientious residents are effectively paying for the waste disposal of irresponsible businesses.
"We are a private company. We receive no budgetary subsidies. We survive solely on the funds received through the tariff. We have repeatedly appealed to local executive bodies demanding an urgent revision of the economically unjustified 2022 tariff, but our appeals, unfortunately, remain without due attention or action," the statement read.
To avoid a complete halt to waste collection in the city, the company has already begun implementing forced measures:
- reduction of fleet and crews: the number of vehicles deployed on routes daily has been reduced;
- reduction of the repair service: the team maintaining the vehicles has been reduced;
- all resources have been focused on maintaining the minimum operational capacity of the main vehicle fleet.
At the same time, the company has started the process of arranging loans to pay off debts to suppliers of fuel, spare parts, and tax authorities.
"These measures are not a solution, but merely a desperate attempt to hold on for a few more months. They inevitably lead to a deterioration in the quality and timeliness of our service. We understand your discontent and apologise for the inconvenience caused. Our goal is to perform our work stably and with high quality. But for this, a tariff revision that takes real costs into account is vitally necessary, as are effective measures by the authorities to recover the multi-million tenge debt from the population and to compel commercial entities to pay for services," the company reported.
The company also thanked conscientious payers and asked for understanding regarding the situation.
"We value your responsibility and timely payment for services. Please show understanding during this difficult period. We are using all available resources to continue our work. We hope that this open appeal will help everyone understand the true causes of the problems and unite efforts to find a way out of the crisis," the appeal from Caspiy Operating LLP concluded.
As a reminder, in March, residents of Aktau's 18A microdistrict complained about an unauthorised landfill stretching for several kilometres near the fence of the former presidential residence, and requested a community clean-up event under the "Taza Kazakhstan" campaign.