Istanbul, September 14, 2022

Press Release

— IFAT Eurasia Fair focuses on solutions for waste in living spaces.

— Cities are growing, local governments are allocating bigger budgets to the fight against waste.

— The use of electric vehicles in waste collection is being pursued by local governments.

Every production and consumption process naturally generates waste. Minimizing the environmental impact of waste is the main goal of Zero Waste management. The processes of generating as little waste as possible, separating it at source, collecting it with appropriate methods, recycling and recovery, and finally disposal are becoming more and more important day by day. While the legal framework in this regard is shaped by the Zero Waste Regulation, the process also brings obligations to various institutions, especially local governments.

Cities Grow, More Sophisticated Measures Needed

Emphasizing the need for a holistic and well-organized planning in terms of waste management as cities grow and the population increases, EKO Fuarcılık Fairs Manager Namık Sarıgöl said: “In developed countries, the separation of domestic waste at the source has become a well-established system. The collection and processing of wastes and bringing them into the economy works as an integrated system. Although households in Turkey have an awareness on this issue, it is difficult to say that it has turned into action. There is still a long way to go in this area.”

A large amount of waste generated as a result of individual consumption is generated in densely populated cities. Stating that the relationship between industry and living space greatly affects the distribution of population, Sarıgöl said: “If there is industry in a region, the population also increases. When the population increases, commercial activities also increase to meet the needs of this population. After this formation, both domestic wastes and industrial wastes are concentrated in nearby areas. The consumption style and habits brought about by city life lead to more packaging and consequently to a high amount of packaging waste. All these factors give vital importance and priority to waste management, especially in metropolitan areas.”

Scientific research shows that more than 60 percent of the cost of waste management is due to the cost of collection. Namık Sarıgöl said, “Effective waste management planning and implementation requires expertise and on the other hand, it requires large investments.” He added that, as they witnessed during IFAT in Munich in May, the use of electric vehicles and equipment in the sector has attracted great interest all over the world, and that there are manufacturers from our country who exhibit their electric vehicles and said, “IFAT Eurasia is now a showcase platform for electric vehicles. “ he said.

Namık Sarıgöl finally said the following:

“IFAT Eurasia Fair, which will be held at TÜYAP Fair and Congress Center between April 27-29, 2023, will be an unmissable environment to present Turkey’s development and ambition in this field to national and international visitors. The exhibition will showcase the latest systems, tools and applications related to waste management. IFAT Eurasia, a powerful platform for exhibiting new technologies and sharing information, will bring together technology manufacturers and service providers, as well as all institutions and organizations involved in waste management.”