365 Billion Liras of Economic Gain Provided in 8 Years with the Zero Waste Project
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced at a workshop in Istanbul that 90 million tons of waste have been brought into the economy through Zero Waste efforts.
Attending the Zero Waste Workshop held in Istanbul, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy shared the balance sheet of environmental and recycling initiatives carried out over the past 8 years with the public.
Workshop and Condolence Message
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy attended the Zero Waste Workshop held in Istanbul and delivered a speech. At the beginning of his speech, he wished God's mercy upon the citizens who lost their lives as a result of the capsizing of the passenger ship operating on the Kyrenia-Taşucu route and offered his condolences.
Global Plastic Pollution
Minister Ersoy reported that worldwide plastic production has increased approximately 230-fold over the past 70 years, exceeding 460 million tons. He emphasized that the global plastic waste level has reached 353 million tons.
Recycling Rates
Stating that only 9 percent of plastic waste is recycled, Ersoy noted that 19 percent is incinerated, 50 percent is landfilled, and 22 percent mixes with the environment in an uncontrolled manner.
Zero Waste Approach
Attention was drawn to the strategic importance of the Zero Waste approach, carried out under the auspices of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and led by Emine Erdoğan.
Economic Contribution and Gains
According to the data of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, the recovery rate in all waste types increased from 13 percent to 37.53 percent in 8 years. During this process, 90 million tons of waste were brought into the economy, generating an economic contribution of 365 billion liras.
Future Goals and Strategies
It is targeted to increase the recovery rate to 60 percent in 2035 and to 70 percent in 2053. Furthermore, it was emphasized that plastic is one of the seven priority sectors in the 2025–2028 National Circular Economy Strategy and Action Plan.