From December 4 to 9, 2025, a training study tour for Kazakhstani experts on Best Available Techniques (BAT) and the development of BAT reference documents BREF was held in Germany within the project “Study tour in Germany for Kazakhstani Experts on Best Available Techniques (BAT) and Best Available Techniques Reference Document (BREF) Development in Waste Management”. The Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia (CAREC) implements the project with financial support from the German Federal Environment Ministry’s Advisory Assistance Programme (AAP) for environmental protection under the supervision of the German Environment Agency (UBA).
The study tour brought together heads and leading specialists of the BAT Bureau of the International Green Technologies and Investment Projects Center NJC of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Peer review and BAT Reference Documents departments, senior experts and heads of the technical working groups on BAT Reference Documents development, and experts-developers of the Waste Management Concept in Kazakhstan.
The main goal of the training study tour was to exchange knowledge and practical experience on Best Available Techniques (BAT) and the implementation of EU BAT reference documents (BREF) in waste management, thereby building the capacity of Kazakhstani BAT experts.
The program of the training study tour was intensive and diverse, allowing participants to gain an in-depth understanding of production processes and receive answers to their questions through on site visits, interactive sessions and active discussions.
Participants visited the Ennigerloh Waste Disposal Center, where they attended a briefing and a presentation on municipal waste management. They also visited a plant for mechanical-biological treatment of mixed municipal waste and a plant for the production of Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) from industrial waste. Next, participants were introduced to the activities of the Zentrale Entsorgungsanlage Iserlohn (Central Waste Treatment Facility in Iserlohn), including a plant for chemical-physical treatment of liquid hazardous waste and a composting plant for organic waste.
As part of the planned program, at the office of the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) in Dessau, UBA experts conducted a seminar for the study tour participants aimed at strengthening their capacity in implementing EU BREF WI – waste incineration, biowaste treatment, and landfill management in Germany. In turn, BAT experts from International Green Technologies and Investment Projects Center NJC presented the latest developments in BAT/BREF processes in Kazakhstan, with a particular focus on the results of previous project implemented by CAREC and financially supported by UBA.
Participants also had the opportunity to learn about the operations of a company for thermal waste utilization (GmbH) and to visit the Central Landfill in Cröbern, managed by the Waste Management Association of West Saxony (Zweckverband Abfallwirtschaft Westsachsen).
“The choice of Germany for the study tour is not accidental, as Germany’s experience is often regarded as a “gold standard” for developing strategies in other countries, including Kazakhstan. Germany is one of the leaders in the EU and worldwide in waste management legislation, with a strong regulatory framework and extensive practical experience in implementation. Strict standards for sorting, recycling, disposal, and thermal treatment of waste are applied, and German legislation is closely aligned with EU directives, including BREF/BAT, making this experience relevant and applicable for countries seeking to meet international standards,” said Arailym Shulgauova, Manager of the project “Study tour in Germany for Kazakhstani Experts on BAT and BREF Development in Waste Management”.
Visiting German facilities allowed participants to see effective real-world solutions firsthand, learn from a leader in environmentally safe waste management, discuss technical solutions with German engineers and experts, understand the economic and environmental aspects of technology implementation, and compare their national practices with German standards.
Additional information:
Arailym Shulgauova
Manager of the project “Study tour in Germany for Kazakhstani Experts on BAT and BREF Development in Waste Management”, ashulgauova@carececo.org
This project is funded by the German Federal Environment Ministry’s Advisory Assistance Programme (AAP) for environmental protection in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia and other countries neighboring the European Union. It is supervised by the German Environment Agency (UBA). The responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors.