On August 9, 2025, another large-scale citywide clean-up day was held in Shymkent as part of the republican environmental initiative "Taza Kazakhstan". This campaign started in the spring and is held weekly, covering all areas of the metropolis. The campaigns will continue until the end of the year, and their goal is not only to restore order, but also to instill in residents a culture of caring for the environment.

According to city authorities, over 3,765 people took part in the cleanup. Among them were employees of district akimats, representatives of city departments, public utilities, activists, volunteers and simply concerned residents. For effective work, 243 units of special equipment were involved, including garbage trucks, excavators, loaders and tractors. As a result, in just one day, it was possible to collect and remove more than 174 tons of garbage, which was one of the record figures of recent months.

The work was carried out in several directions. Particular attention was paid to clearing river beds and their coastlines, as this is where waste often accumulates, worsening the quality of water and spoiling the appearance of natural areas. In addition, volunteers and utility workers collected household waste on the streets, in parks and courtyards, removed dry bushes, mowed the grass, cleaned pedestrian paths and irrigation ditches, ensuring free access of water to green spaces.

The organizers note that the participation of a large number of residents, including those from remote neighborhoods, was a key factor in success. If in previous years the events more often covered central streets and popular parks, then in 2025 attention is also paid to the outskirts of the city, where the problem of littering is especially acute.

It is worth remembering that in 2023, the city campaign "Taza Kala" was held in Shymkent, which attracted mainly employees of organizations and students. Despite the noticeable effect in the central part of the city, remote areas remained almost without attention. In 2024, environmental months helped to reduce the amount of garbage in green areas by about 20%, but after the events, some of the illegal dumps reappeared. This experience showed that it is necessary to maintain order systematically, without long breaks.

A distinctive feature of the current campaign is the wider use of waste sorting technologies. Plastic, glass and paper waste were collected in separate containers for further processing. A similar approach was tried in Shymkent back in 2022 as part of a pilot project on the territory of several schools, but it was not widely used then. In 2025, separate collection became a mandatory element of city clean-up days.

According to the plan, by the end of the year, weekly campaigns will remove more than 5 thousand tons of garbage and improve hundreds of hectares of territory. In addition to standard cleaning, the plan of activities includes planting trees, arranging flower beds, and expanding the irrigation system so that the planted plants take root and maintain a decorative appearance.

On August 9, many participants shared their impressions on social networks. For some, it was an opportunity to spend time with family in the fresh air, for others, it was a way to meet neighbors and discuss the problems of their area. Many noted that participation in such events creates a sense of responsibility for the city, and also helps children from an early age understand the value of cleanliness and order.

The city authorities emphasize that clean-up days have not only ecological but also social significance. Joint work strengthens ties between people, teaches mutual assistance and promotes the development of civic activity. That is why the Shymkent development plan for 2025–2029 pays special attention to involving residents in improvement activities.

Comparing the current campaign with previous years, several key differences can be identified. Firstly, more specialized equipment is used, which increases the efficiency of cleaning and allows for a larger volume of work to be covered in a short time. Secondly, the participation of residents has become more widespread and diverse — from schoolchildren to pensioners. Thirdly, the events have ceased to be one-off and have become regular, which is critically important for consolidating the results.

The experience of other cities in Kazakhstan confirms that where environmental campaigns are held weekly, the number of illegal dumps decreases, and residents are more active in reporting violations. Shymkent has already begun to implement a similar practice - any city resident can send a photo of a spontaneous dump to public utilities via a mobile application, and a cleaning team will leave for there as soon as possible.

Thus, the clean-up day on August 9 became not just another event to restore order, but a vivid example of how the interaction of the authorities and society can give tangible results. The involvement of a large number of participants, the use of modern approaches to cleaning and sorting garbage, as well as the regularity of the events create conditions for Shymkent to become cleaner and more comfortable for living.

The main conclusion that can be drawn from the experience of past years and the current campaign is that the cleanliness of the city depends not only on the efforts of public utilities, but also on the daily behavior of each resident. If the habit of throwing garbage in the trash bin, protecting green spaces and respecting the work of cleaners becomes the norm for the majority, then the need for large-scale clean-up days will decrease over time. However, at this stage, they remain an important tool in the fight for a clean and well-maintained urban environment.