In the Turkey Plastic Waste Workshop, which will be held under the leadership of the Zero Waste Foundation, the entire life cycle of plastics, from production to design, from consumption to recycling, will be discussed and policy recommendations and a strategic road map based on common sense regarding Türkiye's plastic cycle will be created.
According to the statement made by the Zero Waste Foundation, efforts are continuing to move Türkiye's zero waste vision forward in the areas of reducing plastic pollution, efficient use of resources and strengthening the circular economy.
In line with this vision, the Foundation will organize the Türkiye Plastic Waste Workshop with the theme "Zero Waste-Common Mind Platform for the Future" in Istanbul between 31 August and 1 September.
In the workshop, which will be held with the slogan "Turkey Reducing Waste, Preventing Pollution: Clean Environment, Strong Economy, Safe Food, Healthy Generations", a multi-stakeholder consultation ground will be created with the participation of public institutions, local governments, universities, industry and private sector, professional organizations and civil society.
At the workshop, 17 ministries, more than 40 general directorates and more than 400 participants will put forward the joint action plan.
In the workshop, where plastic pollution will be addressed not only from a waste management perspective but also with a holistic system approach extending from production to consumption, the topics of production and design of plastics, sustainable consumption, waste management, recycling, microplastics, human health, financing, governance and international cooperation will be evaluated.
Within the scope of the workshop, 15 thematic work tables will be created under 4 main thematic blocks. At the tables where experts in their fields will come together, the current situation of Türkiye's plastic cycle will be evaluated, and needs, opportunities and solution areas will be put forward with a common sense.
Before the workshop in Istanbul, Türkiye Plastic Waste Workshop City Coordination Meetings will be held in Adana, Mersin, Muğla and Antalya.
In the meetings to be held under the chairmanship of the governors and under the coordination of the Zero Waste Foundation, the current situation of the provinces in plastic waste management, source reduction and separate collection practices, recycling and reuse infrastructure, efforts to prevent plastic waste reaching coastal and marine areas, and local needs and solution suggestions will be evaluated.
The opinions and suggestions put forward at the meetings will be carried to the workshop to be held in Istanbul and will be included in the common sense process on a national scale.
In this respect, city coordination meetings will constitute an important stage of the preparation and consultation process that brings together local experience with the national policy perspective.
Within the scope of the workshop program, a special "Governors' Session" will be held with the participation of the governors of sea-connected provinces, and a "Deputy Ministers' Session" will be held with the participation of deputy ministers, under the coordination of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In the sessions, topics such as reducing plastic waste at the source, collecting it effectively, improving recycling capacity, protecting coastal and marine ecosystems from plastic pollution, strengthening local practices and increasing the harmony between central policies and local studies will be discussed.
Thus, it is aimed to bring together local experiences with decision-making processes and to strengthen a common approach to Türkiye's plastic cycle.
At the end of the workshop, thematic table reports, "Türkiye Plastics Cycle Result Report" and a final declaration will be prepared, and priority problems, needs, opportunities and solution options that can be developed will be presented.
The workshop outputs will also be classified according to the fields of duty of the relevant ministries and converted into ministry-based policy and evaluation reports, and will contribute to the "2053 Turkey Plastic Vision" in line with national legislation, strategy documents and international developments.
