Exporting the "Turning Trash into Treasure" Ningbo Model Overseas
Recently, at the 2026 Regional Eco-Summit in Kazakhstan, a mention by the President of Uzbekistan brought the Kashkadarya waste-to-energy plant into the spotlight.
Little known is that the Kashkadarya plant is a "replica" of the Ningbo Mingzhou Municipal Solid Waste Incineration Power Plant (hereinafter referred to as the Mingzhou Project).
"From factory design and construction to equipment installation and commissioning, the latest waste disposal solution implemented in Uzbekistan has fully drawn upon the practical experience from Ningbo," said Zhan Liang, General Manager of Kangheng International, who was responsible for building the Mingzhou Project.
Notably, the Mingzhou Project is one of the first waste-to-energy plants in China to achieve ultra-low pollutant emissions.
Ultra-low emissions mean that the main indicators for flue gas emissions are far superior to both Chinese national standards and EU standards, complemented by an online carbon emission monitoring system. The entire plant achieves "zero discharge" of wastewater, and 100% of the bottom ash is treated harmlessly and can be recycled to produce eco-friendly building materials.
This ultra-low emission standard will be fully applied to two waste-to-energy projects in the Kashkadarya and Samarkand regions.
"The successful creation of the Mingzhou Project has provided a replicable and scalable model for Kangheng Environment to 'export' waste disposal solutions overseas," said Zhan Liang.
Currently, Uzbekistan primarily disposes of its waste through landfill, with a recycling rate of only 4% to 5%.
To address the specific climate conditions of the Kashkadarya region, Kangheng Environment has modified and optimized the incinerators and flue gas purification equipment to ensure stable operation under extreme weather. Concurrently, the environmental monitoring system has been optimized to meet local environmental management requirements, including a user interface in the local language to facilitate operation by local staff and reduce operating costs.
The Kashkadarya waste-to-energy plant is Uzbekistan's first such facility and is scheduled to become operational by the end of this year. Once operational, it will be able to handle all of the region's municipal solid waste. It is projected to process over 500,000 tons of waste annually, generate up to 342 million kWh of electricity, and reduce carbon emissions by more than 180,000 tons per year.
"By 'exporting' the experience from the Mingzhou Project in a way that is tailored to local conditions, we not only solve local waste disposal problems and prevent secondary pollution, but also achieve the dual goals of environmental compliance and energy recovery, allowing residents of Uzbekistan to enjoy the same level of environmental protection as residents of Ningbo," added Zhan Liang.
Furthermore, the construction and operation of the two waste-to-energy projects in the Kashkadarya and Samarkand regions are expected to create approximately 800 stable jobs, both directly and indirectly, for the local communities.
Discussing future "export" plans, Zhan Liang stated that Kangheng Environment will bring the Ningbo solution to more countries around the world based on local needs.
Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/mCYSAeQ5cxsaBNLo_0oelA