Antalya, which hosts international meetings in the fight against the climate crisis, faces plastic pollution on its own shores. The data announced in the COP TOWN program organized by Muratpaşa Municipality once again revealed Turkey's plastic waste problem. While it is stated that 144 tons of plastic are released into the Mediterranean from Turkey every day, a high amount of microplastic was detected in research conducted on the coast of Alanya. The resulting picture showed that environmental policies before COP31 should be supported not only with international discourses but also with concrete steps.
It was prepared with the contributions of 13 authors from different disciplines and was prepared by Prof. Dr. The 152-page book compiled by Sedat Gündoğdu reveals the journey of plastic pollution from production to consumption, from seas to tables, with scientific research. In the book, it is stated that between 1 million and 34 million microplastic particles per square kilometer were detected on the shores of Alanya in the summer of 2026. It is stated that this density reaches 2 to 65 times the highest background value reported in the scientific literature for Antalya.
In the study, it was noted that approximately 10 million tons of plastic products are produced annually in Turkey, and 3.3 million tons of the 33 million tons of waste collected by municipalities annually were plastics. To combat plastic pollution, it was recommended to reduce consumption, expand reuse systems, end plastic waste imports and inspect recycling facilities.
TURKEY'S PLASTIC VIEW
Within the scope of the program, the first panel titled "Turkey's Plastic View" was held, moderated by Meral Tosun. Prof. in the panel. Dr. Sedat Gündoğdu, Assoc. Dr. Muhittin Onur Akça and Chairman of the Chamber of Environmental Engineers Ahmet Kırmızı took part as speakers.
The second panel is Prof. Dr. Moderated by Sedat Gündoğdu, “What Should an Effective Climate Policy Be for More Resilient Cities?” was held under the title. ANSİAD President Ercan Özbek, Dr. Akgün İlhan and Prof. Dr. In the panel where Ezgi Orhan Muşta was the speaker, the issues of combating climate change and increasing the resilience of cities against the climate crisis were discussed.
“ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY NEIGHBOR CARD IS OUR INVENTION”
Speaking at the opening program, Muratpaşa Mayor Ümit Uysal said that environmental policies should be considered together with economic development policies. Stating that environmental studies should not be limited to wishes and calls for sensitivity, Uysal said, "If environmental policies can be placed on a profitable basis and an environmental approach integrated with economic development policies emerges, the chance of success will increase."
Stating that Muratpaşa is one of the prominent municipalities in Turkey with its environmental studies, Uysal said, "Environmental Neighbor Card, which is the source of the Zero Waste Project, is our invention." Stating that they aim to provide economic gain to citizens who separate their waste with the application, Uysal said that the project has also received international awards and is an example of Zero Waste studies throughout Türkiye.
Mayor Uysal also touched upon the municipality's other environmental studies; He listed the corporate energy and climate action plan, the organization of independent waste collectors under the roof of a cooperative, the municipality's five Blue Flag beaches, the 11th award in the field of environmental education, the Digital Climate Portal, the Cliffs Are Our Home, seabed and hillside cleaning works and plastic-free municipal practices. Mayor Uysal stated that the Young Climate Leaders Platform, free aerator distribution and the use of automation systems in green area irrigation are among the ongoing efforts.
