Mersin Announces Zero Waste Roadmap with Seven Strategic Goals

The Mersin Zero Waste Target Document was announced to the public at a results conference held at the Mediterranean Culture Center, hosted by Mersin University. The event followed a workshop held on May 12 with 194 participants, where the city's environmental priorities were discussed under 15 thematic headings.

Family and Social Services Minister Mahinur Özdemir Göktaş, Mersin Governor Atilla Toros, Zero Waste Foundation Chairman Samed Ağırbaş, and VakıfBank General Manager Osman Arslan attended the conference. The document was approved by the Mersin Governorate.

“We see zero waste as both a state policy and a family policy.”

Seven strategic environmental goals were set for Mersin. They include controlling land-based pollution and microplastic transport, implementing zero waste management province-wide, reducing waste, and creating lasting environmental awareness.

Other priorities include developing waste collection and sorting infrastructure, increasing local resilience to disaster and climate risks, protecting natural and cultural assets, and adding agricultural waste to the economy. Zero waste monitoring will take place in three-month periods under governorate and district governor coordination.

Minister Göktaş described zero waste as both a state policy and a family policy. She said environmental awareness must be instilled in children from an early age and that waste materials should gain economic value through women's cooperatives. She also noted that climate change and environmental issues will be addressed internationally within the scope of COP31 in Antalya.