Steppe Near Aktau Cleared After Landfill Complaints, but People Doubt the Problem Is Solved

After a video showing a garbage-covered steppe near Aktau was published, the area next to the solid household waste landfill was cleaned up, but social media users questioned whether the problem had really been solved, Orda.kz reports.

Earlier, the situation was shown by eco-activist and blogger Azamat Sarsenbayev. In the footage, he filmed the area near the village of Bayandy in the Munaily district, where waste had been scattered across the steppe. The Mangystau region’s Department of Natural Resources later said the pollution was linked to the nearby solid household waste landfill. According to the department, a fire broke out near the landfill on April 20, and strong wind carried light fractions of waste beyond the storage area.

On April 23, a Threads user published “before” and “after” photos showing that the area had been cleaned.

This is proof of how public attention on social media can quickly solve at least small but important problems, at least in the short term.the user wrote.

At the same time, opinions in the comments were divided. Some users said the situation had improved, while others pointed out that the proximity of the landfill could lead to repeated pollution. Commenters added that the problem requires systemic measures, not one-time cleanup efforts.

Original author: Daria Malkova

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