Zero Waste Foundation President: We ingest 5 grams of microplastics per week
The "Plastic Waste Workshop," the largest waste workshop ever held in Turkey's history, has concluded. Following the workshop, the President of the Zero Waste Foundation, in his comments to Sustain&Play, drew attention to the critical level reached by plastic pollution and its devastating effects on human health.
"Today, we actually held the largest waste workshop in Turkish history. Our main topic was plastic waste, but we addressed waste from a 360-degree perspective," Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation, said in an exclusive interview to Sustain&Play following the Plastic Waste Workshop held in Istanbul.
Drawing attention to the extent of plastic pollution, Ağırbaş expressed the danger to human health.
"Look, today cardiovascular diseases and heart attacks have spread to children as young as 17 or 16. Microplastics cause very serious damage to the skin and general health of our citizens. In this context, we ingest 5 grams of microplastics weekly, and it is predicted that by 2050, there will be more plastics than fish in the seas."
Stating that the world is heading towards an unlivable future if precautions are not taken, the president emphasized that they are waging this fight so that our people are not the losers.
The workshop, organized by the Zero Waste Foundation and outlining the 2050-2055 vision for plastic waste, brought together representatives from 17 ministries, over 40 general directorates, and more than 400 individuals. Ağırbaş, specifically addressing pollution in coastal areas, stated, "We need to put an end to the waste crisis, particularly on the Mediterranean coast. This directly affects the health of our citizens. Along with the health of our citizens, it also has negative repercussions for the country's tourism."
Reminding attendees that the foundation, established by Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, aims to develop common solutions to the problems of 86 million citizens, Ağırbaş described the progress in recycling figures with these words: "When Mrs. Emine Erdoğan started the project in 2017, the recycling rate in Türkiye was around 10%. Today, it has risen above 30%. Very soon, we will be talking about 50% and 80%."
Ağırbaş, explaining that they have prepared an action plan to alleviate the burden on citizens by reducing plastic use, also touched upon the economic aspect. Stating that their basic principle is to relieve the burden on citizens, the Mayor said, "When we bring the price of recyclable, biodegradable products that replace plastic down to the level of plastic, our citizens will automatically turn to those products. We are currently striving for that." He added that they are conducting negotiations with the public sector, banks, and the private sector.
Ağırbaş concluded his speech with the message, "If our citizens believe, if all 86 million of us believe, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, we can build a more livable and fairer world together."
