PROBLEM SOLUTION PAPER

Submission III

Submitted by: Kaan Taflanoğlu, Arda Ayas, Aslı Tükel, Mert Bozma

Section: ENG.102.E

Submitted to: Elif Kandemir

Word Count: 2300

Date: 29/04/2024
How can the negative impacts of inadequate waste management practices on the
environmental and public health in Turkey be minimized?

Psp 3 Submission by: Kaan, Arda, Aslı, Mert

I. Problem Statement

Waste management has become increasingly important in the last 30 years. With the advancements
in technology as well as agriculture; energy and food production are at an all time high. The need for
more energy in factories has made a lot of factory owners switch to fossil fuels which often create air
pollution when they are burned and toxic waste as byproducts. Waste management lies in the
middle of combating these problems. Without the proper infrastructure to dispose of fossil fuels and
the waste created after using them, fossil fuels will hurt the planet. Turkey, a big country with over
84 million people living there, is one of the countries with the need for a good waste management
system as it is needed in order to ensure sustainable development and the protection of human
health.According to a research done by the Turkish ministry of environment and urbanization, In
2021 3.031.048 tonnes of dangerous waste was produced. (ÇVŞB 2021) This amount of toxic waste
can lead to diseases if not managed correctly. Turkey is lacking in the management of this waste,
both methodically and resourcefully. According to a study done by Greenpeace UK “..five sites in
southern Turkey are extensively contaminated with hazardous chemical pollutants.” These hazardous
chemical pollutants can poison the produce, effectively poisoning the food chain and all the animals
with it. If Turkey is unable to strengthen and improve their waste management system, this problem
will continue and exponentially increase in the near future harming the environment and the
population. Waste management is also a necessity in the fight with e-waste. The fast development of
technology created an environment where technology has become an important factor for every
aspect of life. From farming to accounting, technology and following the trends that come with the
advancements of technology often require an upgrade every 5-6 years. This creates an abundance of
old technological devices that ends up becoming waste. These devices are composed of materials
that are both not easily recyclable and toxic containing materials like lithium, that poison the soil.
According to the World Health Organization, “ E-waste contains multiple known and suspected
neurotoxicants, including lead and mercury, that may disrupt the development of the central nervous
system during pregnancy, infancy, childhood and adolescence.”(WHO 2023) Some countries have
started to create regulations in order to cut down on the harmful effects of e-waste. For example,
The Turkish ministry of environment and urbanization have taken actions such as extensive
management of e-waste in order to prevent harm on the environment and human health and
preventing the creation of e-waste. (ÇVŞB 2023)

Fossil fuels have become increasingly more popular with the advancements in factories and
production lines. Fossil fuels are efficient and easy to reach. They are also cheap and are easy to use.
But with all these positives, fossil fuels also have a lot of negatives. Most fossil fuels emit harmful and
toxic chemicals into the air when burned. Ingesting these chemicals can lead to fatal diseases like
cancer. According to a study published in 2017 by the Environmental Health Perspectives “17.6
million Americans are exposed daily to toxic air pollution from active oil and gas wells and from
transport and processing facilities. These include benzene (linked to childhood leukemia and blood
disorders) and formaldehyde (a cancer-causing chemical)”. (NRDC 2022)Dependency on fossil fuels is
also a big issue for governments and companies. In the short term, companies observe an increase in
profits due to high rates of production with lower costs which makes fossil fuels a more reliable and
safe option. The alternative idea of switching to renewable energy is both costly and non-profitable
in the short-term for most companies. Switching to renewable energies needs advanced
infrastructure and time and is resource consuming.But if companies and governments agree to take
some losses and a reduction in profit, In the long-run it is both much cheaper and much more healthy
to use renewable energy. But this switch can be hard for most companies and governments as most
use fossil fuels for over 50% of their energy production which makes it harder to change to a
different source. According to an article published by Euro News, Turkey is one of the higher
countries on the list of dependency to fossil fuels with a rate of dependency of 84%.(Euro News
2023) This amount of dependency on fossil fuels also comes with the problem of fossil waste. Turkey
is highly dependent on fossil fuels but it fails to adequately dispose of their fossil waste. Waste
management plays a big role in the use of fossil fuels as waste management is the only way to reduce
the harmful effects of fossil fuels. This includes management and storage of fossil fuel residue,
recycling of harmful materials and elimination of toxic byproducts. Without proper waste
management the harmful effects of fossil fuel usage will exponentially increase. All the negative
effects and toxic byproducts of fossil fuels will go into the soil, water, air and will poison the food
chain.

II. Existing Solutions

The first existing solution is The Atık Nakit Takip (ANT) project which is a private sector project
situated in Turkey designed to centralize and optimize waste management processes through
digitalization. It employs web panels and mobile applications to monitor waste containers, manage
waste collection and processing operations and engage the public in recycling efforts while also
contributing to social sustainability by creating awareness. The project employs a point system to
persuade people to recycle their waste and make it a habit amongst the population to create a
sustainable future. By digitally monitoring and managing the waste, it reduces operational costs,
improves recycling rates, and decreases environmental pollution which creates a positive impact to
the environment. ANT also addresses the underlying problems of waste management by providing
a web platform to access accurate waste tracking, efficient routing for waste management vehicles
and effective communication amongst waste managers. With this emphasis on efficiency and
generating income through recycling, it also addresses economical sustainability. While the project
achieves lots in waste management, it fails to give any specific waste disposal system for
hazardous waste handling or the management of electronic waste, which require specialized
treatment and disposal methods. The project can also face some financial challenges for scaling up
the technology to reach more provinces, continuous technological updates and maintenance which
needs to be constantly funded by investors and local governments.
The second existing solution is a non governmental organization project called "E-Atık - Atıktan
Ormanlar '', the project is dedicated to solving the growing issue of electronic waste in Turkey while
at the same time contributing to environmental conservation efforts. According to their website,
through its activities, the project aims to achieve its mission of promoting sustainable environmental
practices and creating a positive impact on the environment and the people. By recycling electronic
waste and promoting responsible disposal practices, the project addresses the underlying causes of
environmental pollution caused by heavy metals in electronic devices. Additionally, by partnering
with licensed waste management companies like Erbey Atık Yönetimi, the project ensures that
electronic waste is recycled with the right environmental standards, therefore contributing to
economic sustainability through the recovery of valuable materials. Furthermore, through its
"Dönüştürelim Doğa Kazansın" campaign, the project creates a culture of environmental
responsibility by encouraging individuals and organizations to donate electronic waste for recycling,
in exchange for which tree saplings and environmental education are provided by the Ege Orman
Vakfı. However, challenges such as financial barriers and insufficient support may be a problem for
the project's long-term sustainability. Overall, the project demonstrates strengths in line with its
mission, positive impact on environmental conservation, and contribution to social and economic
sustainability, but may face difficulties in overcoming financial barriers and achieving support.

The third existing solution is the Cleaning Up Electronic Waste Project by the government of the
United States Of America. This project aims to reduce E-waste and increase the effectiveness of the
management of e-waste as well as reducing waste around the world and finding solutions to better
manage waste. As well as, taking essential measures to ensure the decrease of pollution by e-waste
and other kinds of waste material is a big part of this project as it aims to protect the ecological
balance around the world. Since this is a project implemented by the Government of USA it has some
advantages over other solutions implemented by non-governmental organizations. Some of these
strengths are the ability to receive funding from the government which can provide budgets with
large amounts of money, that is if the government gives this project enough attention. Since budget
isn't an issue if enough importance is given by the government, this project can both reduce waste in
America and can inspire other countries to do so as governmental projects can be used to motivate
other governments to take action. This project also has some weaknesses such as the reliance on the
advancements of technology and the production of technological devices which are 100% recyclable
which is almost impossible in the short run. Not all companies might want to adhere to these
guidelines and actions, because of the needs of the company and the shareholders which reduces its
effectiveness. Lastly this project can only be successful if it's widely used because if it is not
implemented by everyone it will not be able to produce significant results. This solution is a good first
step by the USA. It has flaws and weaknesses which limits its ability to be implemented easily and
produce tangible results in the near future but if enough care is given the the leaders of the world
this project can achieve its mission in a couple of years.
III. Suggested Solution

The Description & Aims of the Project

Inadequate waste management practices in Turkey have countless negative effects on the
environment and the public health. The main causes of these problems are generally insufficient
technological infrastructure and inefficient methods of recycling. And for these reasons we created
the EcoResolve to transform waste management in the Marmara District into a sufficient and
sustainable system. The EcoResolve project aims to resolve the inadequate waste management
around Marmara by creating a centralized waste management web system that will minimize the
effects of waste accumulation around our cities that creates an unhealthy environment. Waste
management in the cities in Marmara is done without a proper system to sort and repurpose
waste. The EcoResolve project will be an NGO project supported and funded by the government
and charities that is highly flexible to deal with the different waste needs of all the municipalities
around Marmara by increasing the involvement of the general public and increasing efficiency via
tracking. EcoResolve is going to start the management of waste by defining the dominant waste
types of these cities. For example, highly toxic industrial waste, domestic waste and compostable
waste can’t be treated the same. EcoResolve project will include educational campaigns, digital
platforms, incentive programs and public engagement programs to ensure the involvement of the
general public. All the municipalities will have their own specially tailored methods that suit them
the best to make sure that all the waste created from a house, business or a factory gets sorted by
the people according to their specifications. The first stage of the system will depend on this
sorting process where households, businesses or factories will be expected to sort their waste into
various categories such as electronic waste, compostable waste and hazardous materials. The
sorting bins will be provided to the municipalities with the help of a factory that is capable of
creating and maintaining large quantities of these different garbage bins. After this the sorted
waste will be taken to their defined holding facilities where they will be stored professionally
regarding to their own specifications. Lastly, every municipality is obliged to adopt a local waste
regulation. In the local waste regulation, municipalities regulate the type of infrastructure to
provide for waste management locally according to their specific disposal needs like organic energy
efficient waste, hazardous waste or compostable waste. Furthermore Turkey is a country with
more than 2000 open dumps which creates an environmental risk as well as public health
concerns(N.G.Turan,2009). And for these reasons, our EcoResolve project will have a really big
positive impact on the environment and to the health of our people by reliving the waste
accumulation in Turkey.

Eco Resolves funding, sources and structure

The EcoResolve project aims to reduce the negative consequences of improper waste management
and educate the public on the importance of waste regulation. EcoResolve implements a
centralized system in order to properly store, track and properly dispose of the waste created
around the country. Municipalities and businesses will be given opportunities to easily participate
in the project. Attending municipalities, factory workers and volunteers from the public will be
provided a smartphone application called “EcoResolve”. Factories and municipalities will be
provided RFID chips along with the application. This application can be used to log, easily digitize
and visualize the amount of waste created by factories and municipal garbage disposal sites.
Provided RFID chips will ensure the safety and location of the waste, making sure the waste gets
transported and sorted without any complications. These RFID chips also improve efficiency,
visualize data and provide a better outline on the problem of waste management. The gathered
data will be open to the public in order to educate the public on the waste created near them and
show how much or how little work is done by the municipalities or factories to reduce them. The
waste that gets collected and logged with the help of RFID chips to the “EcoResolve” app is then
transported to the adequate waste management facilities. If the created waste can be recycled or
turned into energy it will be sent to the facilities specializing in the aforementioned fields of waste
management. Toxic materials will go through a more intricate process with the main aim being
maximizing the competent disposal or storage of these toxic materials.

The EcoResolve project is funded mostly by non-governmental foundations such as Sabancı Vakfı
and Hüsnü Özyeğin Vakfı. These foundations have strict goals of toxic waste reduction and
recycling which makes The EcoResolve project a perfect option for funding and for publicity. Lots of
engineers will be working for the project and student engineers will be volunteering from
universities like Özyeğin University with the encouragement of the foundations that have invested,
such as Hüsnü Özyeğin Vakfı. This project is also supported by the government in an effort to
reduce toxic materials and rebuild the reputation of Turkey’s waste management. With the help of
the Turkish government, The EcoResolve Project provides participating businesses with special
benefits such as tax reduction as an incentive. The EcoResolve Project also provides cash prizes to
volunteer citizens who sort and dispose of their household waste. This way the EcoResolve project
can have a steady source of data and users, making the country a safer place.

Evaluation Of the project

The Eco resolve project is designed to take the waste management of Turkey to the next level by
making the waste management system more efficient by implementing various methods such as
tracking, sorting and raising awareness which are proven to provide a better and more efficient
waste management(keteres,2023). The application we create is going to make the system more
flexible and scalable which can help us implement more resource efficient waste management
methods such as creating energy from compostable waste that come from the households in the
future or repurposing and importing recyclable waste rather than simply storing the garbage. The
flexibility can also allow us to spread our operation to all of Turkey in the case of success in the
Marmara Region of Turkey. The ease of use and incentives of The EcoResolve project will play a big
role in gathering more participants.
IV. References

 Ateş,E.(2017). Evolution Of Hazardous Waste Management System in Turkey.

Academia.edu.
 Aydin, N. (2017). Review of Municipal Solid Waste Management in Turkey with a Particular
Focus on Recycling of Plastics. Energy Procedia.
 Atık Nakit. (2024). Akıllı Atık Yönetimi. https://atiknakit.com/
 Ege Orman Vakfı: (2021) E-Atık-Atıktan Ormanlar. https://www.egeorman.org.tr/e-atik-
atiktan-ormanlar.aspx
 Euro News, 2023,Enerjide fosil yakıtlara bağımlılık: AB’de yüzde 70, Türkiye’de yüzde
84,https://tr.euronews.com/2023/02/05/enerjide-fosil-yakitlara-bagimlilik-abde-yuzde-70-
turkiyede-yuzde-84
 NRDC,(2022),FossilFuels:TheDirtyFacts, https://www.nrdc.org/stories/fossil-fuels-dirty-
facts#sec-whatis
 Çevre Ve Şehircilik Bakanlığı,(2021),ATIK İSTATİSTİKLERİ
BÜLTENİ,https://webdosya.csb.gov.tr/db/ced/icerikler/2021-yili-atik--stat-st-k-bulten--
20231225152938.pdf
 Çevre Ve Şehircilik Bakanlığı,(2023),Atık Elektrikli ve Elektronik Eşyaların Yönetimi Hakkında
Yönetmelik ile Elektrikli ve Elektronik Eşyalarda Bazı Zararlı Maddelerin Kullanımının
Kısıtlanmasına İlişkin Yönetmelik yayımlandı.,https://cygm.csb.gov.tr/atik-elektrikli-ve-
elektronik-esyalarin-yonetimi-hakkinda-yonetmelik-ile-elektrikli-ve-elektronik-esyalarda-bazi-
zararli-maddelerin-kullaniminin-kisitlanmasina-iliskin-yonetmelik-yayimlandi.-duyuru-436428
 World Health Organization,2023,Electronic waste (e-waste),https://www.who.int/news-
room/fact-sheets/detail/electronic-waste-(e-waste)#:~:text=E-waste%20contains
%20multiple%20known,and%20function%20of%20the%20lungs
 Yılmaz, İ., & Abdulvahitoğlu, A. (2019). Evaluation of municipal solid waste options in Turkey:
Scenarios for energy recovery, carbon mitigation and consequent financial strategies.
 Güresinli, Ç. (2000). Sustainable Solid Waste Management In Turkey.
 Smart City Sweden, 2023, Waste Management,
https://smartcitysweden.com/focus-areas/climate-environment/waste-management/
 Keter, 2023, Monitoring Waste and Recycling for Businesses with GPS Tracking,
https://www.keteres.com/resource/demystifying-waste-tracking-and-recycling