Stiff penalties announced for illegal dumping as monitoring expands across Uzbekistan

The Agency’s Department for the Use and Monitoring of Surveillance Cameras reported that between January and March 2026, a total of 2,107 incidents of dumping waste in unauthorized locations were detected via online monitoring. Out of these, 322 offenders have already been held administratively liable and paid the required fines. Legal measures are currently being processed for the remaining 1,785 violations.

This modern monitoring system currently utilizes nearly 700 online surveillance cameras installed in almost every region of the republic. These devices are designed not only to catch individuals dumping household or construction waste but also to detect a wide range of other environmental violations. The expansion of this technology follows a high volume of offenses in previous years; in 2025, authorities identified over 10,000 cases of illegal dumping nationwide.

Under Article 91-1 of the Code of Administrative Responsibility, the penalties for disposing of solid domestic, construction, or liquid waste in non–designated areas are substantial. For individual citizens, the first offense carries a fine ranging from 1 to 3 times the Base Calculating Amount (BCA), which equates to UZS 412,000-1,236,000. For officials, the fine increases to 10-20 times the BCA, or UZS 4,120,000-8,240,000.

Repeat offenses within a year of the initial penalty lead to significantly harsher consequences. In such cases, citizens face fines of 5-10 times the BCA (UZS 2,060,000-4,120,000), while officials are subject to fines between 20 and 30 times the BCA (UZS 8,240,000-12,360,000). The Agency emphasizes that these measures are part of a broader strategy to foster a circular economy and maintain ecological standards across the country.