Turkey Plastic Waste Workshop Begins in Istanbul with Broad Participation
Led by Emine Erdoğan, the workshop starting in Yeşilköy addresses the fight against plastic pollution and circular economy goals.
Hosted by the Zero Waste Foundation in Istanbul's Yeşilköy district, the Turkey Plastic Waste Workshop brings the vision of combating plastic pollution and the circular economy to the table.
Objective and Scope of the Workshop
Held at a hotel in Yeşilköy, the Turkey Plastic Waste Workshop aims to make a strong contribution to the country's fight against plastic pollution and its circular economy targets. The program will continue for two days.
The event is being conducted with a broad stakeholder structure, featuring participation from 17 ministries and affiliated organizations, as well as numerous institutions, local governments, universities, and non-governmental organizations.
Global Plastic Data and Recycling
In his opening speech, Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced that global plastic production has increased 230-fold over the last 70 years, exceeding 460 million tons.
Drawing attention to the seriousness of the situation, Ersoy stated that only 9 percent of wastes are recycled, 19 percent are incinerated, and 50 percent are landfilled.
Turkey's Zero Waste Achievements
Minister Ersoy stated that thanks to the zero waste efforts carried out in Turkey, the recovery rate for all waste types has recorded a significant increase over an 8-year period.
According to the statement, the recovery rate in the country has risen from 13 percent to 37.53 percent.
Thematic Blocks and Tables
In order to evaluate the plastic cycle with a holistic approach, four main thematic blocks and a total of 15 working tables were established within the scope of the workshop.
At these established tables, Turkey's plastic vision, food safety, human health, environment, and economy headings are being addressed in detail.