Experts stating that our society is not very conscious about recycling, say that in recent years there have been efforts to raise awareness about recycling by both the government, local administrations, and non-governmental organizations, but these are not enough. Pointing out that some people, especially in big cities, act more sensitively regarding recycling, Assistant Professor Dr. Hasan Çiçek said, 'In smaller cities, towns, and villages, we observe less sensitivity in this regard.'
Üsküdar University Industrial Engineering Assistant Professor Dr. Hasan Çiçek provided information on raising recycling awareness.
It doesn't just harm the economy
Assistant Professor Dr. Hasan Çiçek, stating that recycling is about bringing waste back into the economy, said, 'Waste can be household or industrial. These wastes do not only harm our economy but also cause environmental pollution. Let's not forget that this world we live in was inherited from our elders, and we must leave it clean and livable for our children. With recycling, we are actually reducing the pollution that occurs.'
Awareness-raising efforts are not enough
Evaluating the societal awareness regarding recycling, Assistant Professor Dr. Hasan Çiçek said, 'Unfortunately, our society is not very conscious about recycling. When we look at our surroundings, streets, residential complexes, and parks, we can easily see this deficiency. Those who have been to developed European countries know that you won't see a single piece of trash on the street or in a park. In recent years, efforts to raise awareness about recycling have been seen both at the government level and by local administrations and non-governmental organizations. However, it should not be forgotten that these efforts are not enough and we need to work harder.'
The number of our conscious citizens needs to increase
Assistant Professor Dr. Hasan Çiçek, pointing out that some people, especially in big cities, act more sensitively regarding recycling, continued:
'In smaller cities, towns, and villages, we observe less sensitivity in this regard. For example, we observe that the different waste bins (household/plastic/glass) placed by the municipality are not used correctly. The number of our conscious citizens needs to increase. Local governments, site managements, and non-governmental organizations have more work to do in this regard. This topic should be discussed more on television channels.'
If a student throws the plastic cup they drank water from on the ground, it means campaigns are not effective
Assistant Professor Dr. Hasan Çiçek also emphasized that schools, universities, and local governments need to make more effort regarding recycling, saying, 'If a student throws the plastic cup they drank water from on the ground, it means the campaigns are not effective. There is a need for a nationwide mobilization. As I stated earlier, environmental pollution directly affects our lives. Thanks to recycling, we will make progress in this regard as well. This topic should be discussed more in schools and universities, and student awareness should be increased. Local governments, in turn, should go to residential complexes and educate our citizens.'
Technological investments in waste recovery should be encouraged
Assistant Professor Dr. Hasan Çiçek drew attention to the necessity of launching a major recycling campaign nationwide and concluded his words as follows:
'Schools, universities, the government, and non-governmental organizations should fully support this campaign. It is essential to encourage technological investments in waste recovery and for more entrepreneurs to focus on this investment. Local governments also need to allocate more resources to this area. If there are gaps in laws, regulations, and legislation, these must be promptly addressed. Furthermore, new technological opportunities should be utilized. Let's not forget that when we invest in the recycling sector, we will also create new job opportunities.'
The amount of waste generated was calculated as 109.2 million tons
According to the Turkish Statistical Institute's 2022 Waste Statistics, a total of 109.2 million tons of waste, including 29.4 million tons of hazardous waste, were generated in 2022 in manufacturing industry workplaces, mining enterprises, thermal power plants, organized industrial zones (OSB), and households within the scope of the research.
63.2% of the total waste was sold or sent to licensed waste processing facilities.
133.2 million tons of waste processed in waste treatment facilities
Of the 133.2 million tons of waste processed in waste disposal and recovery facilities, 81.4 million tons were disposed of, and 51.7 million tons were recovered.