The ministry stressed that deliberate arson of the landfill is not beneficial to anyone. Firefighting requires significant costs - hundreds of tons of water, special equipment, fuel, large amounts of soil and the involvement of a large number of workers. All this entails serious financial losses for both landfill operators and the state.

In addition, open tenders for waste sorting have been announced for 98 of the 137 landfills in the country. Recycling and sorting of garbage is much more profitable for entrepreneurs than eliminating the consequences of fires.

The main causes of fires

According to the Agency, fires at landfills occur mainly due to natural physical and chemical processes that intensify during periods of extreme heat.

First of all, about 44% of household waste is made up of organic materials. When they decompose, methane, a flammable gas, is released. Even a small spark or local overheating can cause a fire.

Another reason is aerosol cans, lighters, and other pressurized containers. When exposed to high temperatures, they can explode and ignite the surrounding waste.

In addition, glass bottles and their fragments can act as a lens in direct sunlight, concentrating sunlight and igniting plastic, polyethylene and other combustible materials.

The danger is also represented by hot ash, which residents and catering establishments often dispose of along with household waste. Even if it looks cold on the outside, the heat inside it can persist for up to two days. After delivery to the landfill, such smoldering residues can cause ignition of the inner layers of waste.

Landfills are gradually being returned to state management

The Agency recalled that landfills of solid household waste are strategic objects of environmental safety and should be under state control.

According to the Presidential decree of January 4, 2024, all landfills of the country are gradually transferred to the jurisdiction of the state institution "Directorate for Waste Landfill Management" under the Ministry of Ecology. However, the transfer of individual objects has not yet been completed.

At landfills where the transition has not yet been completed, violations of the requirements for layer-by-layer placement, compaction and daily shelter of waste with soil were previously allowed. As a result, air cavities form inside the garbage masses, and the combination of oxygen and methane at high temperatures increases the risk of spontaneous combustion.

Landfill fires are a global problem

The Agency noted that such cases are not unique to Uzbekistan. About 23 landfill fires are recorded annually in Sweden, from 30 to 80 in Poland, and more than 8,000 similar fires occur in the United States. In India, individual landfills can smolder and burn for weeks, and sometimes for several months.

Since the beginning of 2026, 19 landfill fires have been registered in Uzbekistan, while 44 such incidents were recorded in the whole of 2025.

Special pumps, fire hoses and water tankers are constantly located at landfills for rapid response. After extinguishing the fire, the foci must be filled with soil and compacted to prevent re-ignition.

The agency urged citizens, especially owners of cafes, restaurants and other public catering facilities, not to dispose of hot ashes and other potentially hazardous waste along with household garbage, as this significantly increases the risk of fires.