Grant Support from the Mediterranean for Muğla Metropolitan Municipality's Circular Economy Project
Muğla Metropolitan Municipality's EMEK project, aimed at recovering tourism-related waste, has been deemed worthy of support within the MedCities LASERMed grant program.
The pilot project titled "EMEK - Circular Product and Repair Academy for Young Women" by Muğla Metropolitan Municipality, which envisions the recycling of tourism-related waste, has been selected for support under the MedCities LASERMed grant call. Selected among member applicants from Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, and Turkey, the project will receive 20,000 Euros in financial support.
Prepared by the Muğla Metropolitan Municipality Department of Environmental Protection and Control, the project aims to integrate still-usable textile products, small wooden items, and household goods originating from the tourism sector back into the economy before they turn into waste. These products, which will be evaluated in line with circular economy principles, will be made traceable through a QR-coded product story system.
The implementation will be carried out at the Women's Life Centers in Menteşe, transforming the centers into circular production and training spaces with the participation of young women who are outside of education and employment. The project will add functionality to the existing infrastructure without requiring new buildings, permanent personnel, or heavy equipment.
Operated under the auspices of the Barcelona Provincial Council, the LASERMed platform offers strategic design, capacity building, experience sharing, and technical support to the pilot projects selected within the scope of the grant, in addition to 20,000 Euros in financial support. Furthermore, the construction and demolition waste management model previously prepared by the municipality had also achieved second place in Europe at the 2026 ICLEI Local Sustainability Award.