Ub Mayor to Support Recycling Factories

Mayor of Ulaanbaatar S.Batbold says he has decided to focus on improving waste management, especially recycling, to resolve air and soil pollution in the capital.

Last Friday, he visited dumpsites, plastic, and paper recycling factories, and waste treatment facilities around Ulaanbaatar to review their status and to address the challenges faced by waste management companies and find ways to boost recycling.

UB TO CONSIDER INVESTMENT IN TIRE RECYCLING

The Mayor and his team visited Inarkhis Company in the 22nd khoroo of Bayanzurkh District. The company has been making paving and playground mats from recycled tires for the past eight years. Company president N.Munkhbayar told Mayor S.Batbold about some of the financial struggles the company is facing at the moment.

'Our company purchases scrap tires by personally going around to vehicle repair shops. Depending on the location, each tire costs 150 to 350 MNT. Two other tire recycling companies were opened, but they've been unable to operate sustainably due to sales-related problems. For example, companies that import rubber tiles from China are usually selected for tenders to build playgrounds. The main reason why is because they are cheaper. Regardless of quality, the company that offers the lowest price is selected,' he said.

According to N.Munkhbayar, Inarkhis Company gives customers a lifetime guarantee and replaces damaged playground surfacing systems free of charge.

'Damaged tiles are recycled once again, so I hope private companies and city authorities support domestic production instead of purchasing poor quality products from abroad,' he added.

Inarkhis Company says it is planning to expand their operations and open another factory near Gurvaljin Bridge. The new factory is expected to be four times more productive than its current facilities, but the company is facing financial problems and N.Munkhbayar has asked the Mayor's Office for a soft loan of 700 million MNT.

The company used to export scrap steel and iron recovered during the tire recycling process to China but stopped four years ago because of a national ban on metal exportation.

Mayor S.Batbold recommended that Inarkhis Company starts a metal recycling business, but also promised to consider the request for a loan.

RECYCLABLE WASTE PICKERS COMPLAIN ABOUT FINES

The Mayor then visited the home of B.Gantulga, who sorts recyclable waste in his backyard and sells what he collects to recycling factories.

He asked for the Mayor's...