The first of a series of information meetings to be held across Turkey by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization regarding the new environmental legislation was held under the name "Environment and Industry Consultation Meeting," in collaboration with and hosted by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and the Ankara Chamber of Industry (ASO).
The meeting was attended by Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum, Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank, ASO President Nurettin Özdebir, Treasurer of the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) Faik Yavuz, OSTİM OSB Regional Manager Adem Arıcı, OSTİM OSB Environment and Security Manager Abdülkadir İnan, Organized Industrial Zone (OSB) managers and industrialists.
“Green industries will become important”
ASO President Nurettin Özdebir drew attention to the importance of productivity today. Özdebir stated: “Producing more with fewer resources, higher quality production, and innovation that reveals resource efficiency will be the main determinants of production. In the upcoming period, where we expect such intense change and transformation, the concept of ‘green industry’ will become more important than ever. Digitalization, along with changes and transformations in production processes, will also introduce more environmentally friendly technologies into our lives.”
Nurettin Özdebir, emphasizing that industrial infrastructure differs from urban infrastructure, stated, “The management of industrial infrastructure also differs from that of urban infrastructure. Industrial municipal management is a specialized field. Turkey has an Organized Industrial Zone (OSB) model that has become a model for the world and which we have exported to many countries. I believe that our country's 53 years of experience in OSBs should be evaluated in these matters, that this accumulated knowledge should not be wasted, and that this organization should be carried out through OSBs.”
Emphasizing that production and environmental issues are intertwined, Özdebir reminded industrialists of their responsibilities in this regard. Özdebir continued his speech as follows: “As industrialists, we must show even more importance to the environment than we do to our factories, and we must act with this awareness. On the other hand, in an environment where a transformation in agricultural policies is being discussed in Turkey, it is absolutely essential that agricultural lands are not allowed to be used for other purposes.”
Faik Yavuz, a member of the TOBB (Turkish Chambers of Commerce and Industry) Board of Directors, emphasized that the business world is ready to cooperate with both ministries. Yavuz stated, “We all know the importance of sustainable development. Leaving a cleaner and more livable environment for future generations is our primary duty. Issues with extremely high adaptation costs, such as environmental and climate costs, must be addressed at a global level. As environmental legislation expands, new measures need to be taken. Information and awareness campaigns regarding legislation must absolutely continue.”
“Environmental and economic gains are possible through industrial symbiosis”
Minister of Industry and Technology Mustafa Varank stated that Organized Industrial Zones (OSBs) play a prominent role in disciplining industry and eliminating its environmental impact. Minister Varank noted that they are providing infrastructure facilities to industrialists with an industry-friendly approach.
Varank explained that they have solved the wastewater treatment problem of 162 active Organized Industrial Zones (OSBs) with the provided loan support, and emphasized that they have included wastewater treatment plants in the investment plans of 21 OSBs, and that they will provide all kinds of support for industrial sites that want to establish their own treatment plants.
Minister Varank, emphasizing the importance of inter-firm collaborations for effective competition in global markets, pointed to the application of industrial symbiosis. Varank stated, “Environmental and economic gains are possible through the application of industrial symbiosis. In February 2017, in collaboration with the World Bank Group, we launched the ‘Development of a Green Organized Industrial Zone Framework for Turkey Project.’ Through this project, analysis studies were conducted on resource efficiency, industrial symbiosis, and green infrastructure in the pilot organized industrial zones of İzmir Atatürk, Adana Hacı Sabancı, Bursa, and Ankara Chamber of Industry, and action plans were prepared for each. Furthermore, as a complementary document to the first phase, a Green Organized Industrial Zone roadmap was completed for legislative and institutional reforms.”
Referring to the contributions of recycling to the national economy, Minister Varank stated, “The amount of waste collected for recycling is expected to increase. Recycling the collected waste will reduce raw material imports. We place great emphasis on the development and implementation of environmental technologies. We have provided 194 million lira in support to 595 R&D projects. A domestically developed flue gas analyzer has been created to detect the air pollution effects of industrial facilities, and the patent process has been initiated. We must leave a more livable world for our children. We will continue to work in cooperation with all our stakeholders.”
“We want to raise environmental awareness”
Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum drew attention to the growth and increase in industrial production figures over the last 15 years. Stating that Turkish industry has strengthened itself, Minister Kurum said that Turkish industrial products have found new markets in the world and have become permanent fixtures there.
Stating that they follow environmental legislation worldwide, Kurum said, "As a country that is not just observing developments in the world but is involved in and directs them, we are taking responsibility."
Providing information about the implementation of the fee for plastic bags, which came into effect on January 1, 2019, Minister Kurum stated, “The implementation started four days ago. We see that plastic bag usage has decreased by 50 percent. Our goal is to reduce the per capita use of plastic bags from 440 to 40. Of the 25 kuruş fee, 10 kuruş will cover costs and 15 kuruş will be collected in a fund for environmental investments.”
Murat Kurum underlined that facilities to be established in industrial zones are being facilitated within the scope of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulation, and emphasized that regulations have been made on many issues, from waste management to noise pollution, through studies conducted with the Ministry of Industry and Technology.
Minister Kurum stated that they continue to work jointly with the Ministry of Industry and Technology on various issues such as wastewater treatment plants in Organized Industrial Zones, and added, "In order to leave a clean world, we want to increase environmental awareness by spreading these meetings to all parts of the country for our stakeholders."
During the meeting, OSTİM Organized Industrial Zone Regional Manager Adem Arıcı, who met with the Minister of Environment and Urbanization Murat Kurum, requested support from Minister Kurum for resolving the problems of OSTİM industrialists regarding the Zoning Amnesty. Minister Kurum stated that they are closely following the resolution of OSTİM's problems related to the Zoning Amnesty.
Photos
