Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) —  Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan has reviewed in its first reading a bill aimed at strengthening payment discipline in waste collection and disposal services.

During the discussion, it was noted that as part of the reform of the waste management system in the country, steps are being taken to improve the quality of sanitary services and actively involve entrepreneurs in waste collection and disposal. However, this has led to a need for improving payment discipline for these services among the population.

Currently, in some cases, citizens refuse to pay for waste collection services or delay payments for various unjustified reasons, such as the absence of garbage collection, burning waste, or burying it in the ground. These actions contribute to the increase in receivables for the services rendered.

The low level of payment discipline negatively affects the financial performance of service organizations, limiting their ability to invest in infrastructure renewal and improve service quality. It also hinders the attraction of new entrepreneurs to this sector.

The bill proposes amendments to several legislative acts, introducing legal provisions that would temporarily restrict the acceptance of electricity payments from consumers who have not paid for waste management services after receiving prior notice via SMS, until the debt is settled.

The adoption of this bill will help strengthen payment discipline in the waste collection and disposal sector and reduce the receivables from the population for these services.

The bill was approved by the deputies in its first reading, with further development planned for the second reading, including strengthening consumer rights guarantees.