Director of Climate Change Prof. Halil Hasar attended the “Traditional Zero Waste Competition Awards Ceremony” in Erzurum.
30 April 2025
Students who excelled in the traditional zero waste competition organized by Erzurum Metropolitan Municipality received their awards from Director of Climate Change Prof. Halil Hasar, Erzurum Metropolitan Mayor Mehmet Sekmen, and local officials.
Held as part of International Zero Waste Day, the competition aimed to strengthen environmental awareness and highlight the importance of recycling, providing students with a platform to present their ideas and projects on transforming waste into useful products.
Recycled items and newly developed innovative concepts were selected for awards.
Speaking at the ceremony held at the Erzurum Science Center, Prof. Hasar underscored the importance of instilling a strong sense of climate and environmental responsibility in children and young people, the custodians of the future, noting that the now well-established competition plays a meaningful role in building awareness for a more livable world.
Addressing the audience, Prof. Hasar emphasized the global significance of the Zero Waste movement, stating, “The Zero Waste initiative was launched in 2017 under the leadership of First Lady Emine Erdoğan. The movement has since gained international recognition and was designated by the United Nations as ‘30 March Zero Waste Day. Our Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, Murat Kurum, presented Türkiye’s Zero Waste practices at the United Nations.”
Highlighting the progress Türkiye has made in this field, Hasar said, “To date, 75 million tons of waste have been recovered through the Zero Waste Movement. In addition, 32 million tons of paper and cardboard waste have been collected, which has helped prevent deforestation and preserve green areas. In particular, municipal initiatives have shown that organic and other waste can be used for agricultural purposes and converted into valuable materials such as compost. Moreover, the ‘Deposit System’ introduced by our Ministry for glass, plastic, and metal recovery has now become operational nationwide.”
Hasar also announced that the first “Zero Waste Café” will soon open in Erzurum, adding that deposit return machines developed by the Turkish Environmental Agency will be installed in the city. “At Zero Waste and Climate Cafés, and even in schools, our children will be able to recycle through deposit machines. This will allow us to instill environmental consciousness at an early age, provide cleaner surroundings, and demonstrate the benefits of the circular economy,” he said.
Following the ceremony, Hasar and Mayor Sekmen toured an exhibition showcasing products created from recycled materials by participating students.
The ceremony, which brought together students from primary, lower-secondary, high school, and university levels, was attended by award recipients and their families, provincial administrators, and a large number of local residents.