Policy on Waste Management and Safe Disposal Including Hazardous Materials — 2025

Khoja Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University

Policy on Waste Management and Safe Disposal Including Hazardous Materials

A university campus committed to waste reduction, recycling, and environmentally sound management of 

hazardous materials.

Policy created: 2025 y.

Policy revised: 2026 y.

Turkistan, 2025–2026

Policy on Waste Management and Safe Disposal Including Hazardous Materials

1. PURPOSE AND COMMITMENTS

The University commits to reducing waste generation and ensuring safe management from the point of generation to verified recovery or disposal. Priorities are prevention, preparation for reuse, recycling, other recovery and safe disposal of residual streams, taking account of waste properties and legislation. Protection of people and the environment guides the choice of management method. The policy supports SDG 12, particularly Targets 12.4 and 12.5, as well as SDGs 3 and 6.

2. SCOPE

The policy covers campuses, residences, catering facilities, laboratories, clinical and teaching units, the botanical garden, workshops and construction activities controlled by the University. It applies to staff, students and contractors within their activities. Streams include general and food waste, recyclables, chemical, medical and biological waste, batteries, lamps, electronic equipment, oils and construction materials. Radioactive waste, if present, is managed under specialised legislation and separate procedures and must not be mixed with other streams. Usable hazardous materials are tracked before use; expired or unusable materials are assessed for management as waste.

3. PREVENTION AND CLASSIFICATION

Units plan procurement and experiments to minimise residues, excess stocks and hazardous properties; suitable safer alternatives are selected following assessment. Each stream is identified by composition, origin, hazardous properties and the current Waste Classifier. A hazardous waste passport is prepared where required by law; a substance safety data sheet does not replace it. Unknown materials are labelled and isolated until their composition and safe management route are established. Dilution or mixing to conceal hazardous properties is prohibited.

4. SEGREGATION AND LABELLING

Waste is segregated at the point of generation. Hazardous and contaminated materials must not enter general waste or clean recyclables; incompatible chemical streams are collected separately. Containers must be robust, compatible with their contents and appropriately closed; sharps require puncture-resistant containers. Labels identify contents, code and hazards, accumulation start date, unit and responsible person; medical waste follows prescribed classes and colour coding. Containers are not overfilled, waste is not compacted by hand and sorting with unprotected hands is prohibited.

5. TEMPORARY ACCUMULATION AND INTERNAL MOVEMENT

Waste is kept only in designated locations with restricted access and protection against weather, damage and releases to soil or drains. Liquid hazardous waste requires secondary containment; ventilation and fire protection reflect risk assessment and mandatory requirements. Compatibility, container condition, labels and time limits are checked on a schedule. Trained staff move waste along designated routes using suitable equipment. Accumulation periods, temperatures and conditions are specified separately for each stream; no single limit is applied to medical, chemical and general waste.

6. SPECIAL HAZARDOUS STREAMS

Laboratory chemical waste is managed according to composition, reactivity and compatibility; independent discharge, neutralisation or mixing without an approved procedure is prohibited. Infectious, sharps, pharmaceutical and other medical waste are segregated and treated through an approved scheme appropriate to their classes; one disinfection method is not used for all streams. Mercury-containing lamps, batteries, oils and electronic waste are collected separately without breaking components. Suspected asbestos is not disturbed before specialist assessment. Discharge of hazardous materials into drains, soil or water bodies, open burning and unauthorised burial are prohibited.

7. TRANSFER AND VERIFICATION OF FINAL TREATMENT

Before contracting, the University checks the carrier’s and recipient’s legal entitlement, licences and other documents required for the waste and operations, technical capability and final management route. Each transfer records type, code, quantity, date, consignor, carrier, recipient and intended treatment. Receipt records and documentary evidence of recovery or disposal are obtained; missing confirmation is investigated. Transport uses applicable packaging, labelling and dangerous goods documentation. Transboundary movement must not occur without specific approvals and compliance with applicable international and national rules.

8. RESPONSIBILITIES AND TRAINING

Management appoints a waste management lead and provides resources. Facilities units organise infrastructure and collection; laboratory and clinical managers are responsible for classification and safe collection within their areas. Procurement and contracting staff verify service providers; the Sustainable Development Research Centre coordinates aggregate assessment and reporting. Personnel handling hazardous waste receive training before authorisation, refresher briefings and appropriate protective equipment. Students work under supervision and do not independently undertake hazardous operations. Contractors follow the same requirements and provide supporting records.

9. EMERGENCIES AND VIOLATIONS

Following a leak, damaged container, sharps injury or discovery of unknown material, work stops, access is restricted and the supervisor and designated response service are notified. Immediate danger triggers evacuation, emergency service contact and medical assistance under the site plan. Only trained personnel with suitable equipment contain and clean up incidents, taking account of material properties; universal neutralisation methods are not used. Competent authorities are notified where and within the periods required. The incident, causes, resulting waste and corrective actions are recorded before work is authorised to resume.

10. RECORDS AND PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT

A register tracks waste generation, accumulation and transfer, recording mass, code, hazards, originating unit, recipient and final operation. Quantities are established by weighing or a documented calculation with estimates identified. At least annually, the balance is reconciled: opening stock plus generation minus transfers or treatment equals closing stock; double counting is prevented. Hazardous waste, recycling, other recovery and disposal are reported separately. Accumulation periods, contractor records and incidents are reviewed. Reduction targets follow the baseline assessment; an aggregate annual report is published and statutory reports are submitted as required.

11. IMPLEMENTATION AND REVIEW

The policy takes effect upon approval and is made publicly available. Before relevant activities begin, units approve stream-specific instructions, collection arrangements, accumulation locations, transfer schedules, responsible personnel and response plans; a stream must not be generated without a safe management route. An institution-wide inventory and consolidated plan are established during the first year. The policy is reviewed at least every three years and after significant legislative or operational changes or a serious incident. Creation, review and approval dates reflect actual decisions.

12. LEGAL AND INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATIONS

Current legislation and requirements applicable to each stream and operation are used. Medical and other specialised regimes apply alongside environmental requirements. International guidance supplements mandatory rules and does not replace licences, permits or national procedures.

12.1 Legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Environmental Code of Kazakhstan No. 400-VI of 2 January 2021 — the waste hierarchy, classification, safe accumulation, transfer and hazardous waste operations. [1]
Order of the Acting Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources No. 314 of 6 August 2021 approving the Waste Classifier. [2]
Order of the Minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources No. 335 of 20 August 2021 approving the hazardous waste passport form. [3]
Order of the Acting Minister of Health No. ҚР ДСМ-331/2020 of 25 December 2020 — sanitary requirements for the collection, use, application, treatment, transportation, storage and burial of production and consumption waste. [4]
Order of the Minister of Health No. ҚР ДСМ-96/2020 of 11 August 2020 — sanitary and epidemiological requirements for healthcare facilities, including medical waste. [5]
Law of Kazakhstan No. 389 of 10 February 2003 on accession to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal. [6]

12.2 International provisions and guidance
Basel Convention (1989) — hazardous waste minimisation, environmentally sound management and control of transboundary movements, applied in accordance with Kazakhstan’s obligations and established approval procedures. [7]
WHO, Safe management of wastes from health-care activities, second edition (2014) — technical guidance on safe healthcare waste management, segregation, worker protection and response. [8]
UN 2030 Agenda, Targets 12.4 and 12.5 — environmentally sound management of chemicals and waste and reduction of waste generation through prevention, reuse and recycling. [9]

Responsible personnel verify current requirements before issuing instructions or contracting services. This policy establishes commitments and procedures; equipment, contracts and actual management outcomes require separate supporting evidence.