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Türkiye marks the Zero Waste movement's ninth year with “Together for the World from 0 to COP31”
Türkiye's Zero Waste movement is marking its ninth year with the theme “Together for the World from 0 to COP31,” referring to COP31, which will be held in Antalya.
The ninth year of the Zero Waste movement is being marked with the theme “Together for the World from 0 to COP31,” as Türkiye is set to host the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31).
The Zero Waste movement is among the 10 priority themes on COP31's action agenda and the 2035 Global Implementation Targets. Through the movement, the aim is to set an example for the world by increasing recycling and reducing methane emissions.
The development of the Zero Waste movement
The project, launched on Sept. 27, 2017, under the patronage of Emine Erdoğan, the wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is being carried out under the coordination of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change. The initiative, conducted under the slogan “The World Is Our Common Home,” has evolved into a global environmental movement recognized by the United Nations.
Following a vote in the UN General Assembly on Dec. 14, 2022, March 30 was designated “International Zero Waste Day” under Türkiye's primary sponsorship and with 105 countries as co-sponsors. Emine Erdoğan became the first Turkish leader's spouse to address the assembly by speaking at a special session on Zero Waste held on the sidelines of the 77th UN General Assembly.
The UN Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste was established on April 12, 2023. The board, chaired by Emine Erdoğan, has 13 members. The Zero Waste Project has received seven international awards to date.
More than 459,000 signatures from 136 countries
At an event held at the Turkish House during the 78th UN General Assembly meetings, President Erdoğan became the first person to sign the Global Zero Waste Goodwill Declaration. More than 459,000 Zero Waste volunteers from 136 countries had signed the declaration online as of Sept. 25.
More than 50 leaders' spouses, senior representatives of international organizations and foreign ministers also signed the declaration. A resolution on promoting Zero Waste initiatives was unanimously adopted at the G20 Environment and Climate Ministers' Meeting on July 28, 2023.
Recovery rate rises to 37.53%
Türkiye's Zero Waste Management System has begun operating in 220,000 buildings and facilities. The recovery rate rose from 13% in 2017 to 36.08% in 2024 and 37.53% in 2025. Türkiye aims to raise the rate to 60% by 2035 and 70% by 2053.
As part of the project, 28 million people have received training. From 2017 through the end of 2025, 36.1 million tons of paper and cardboard, 10.2 million tons of plastic, 3.5 million tons of glass, 9.6 million tons of metal, and 30.6 million tons of organic and other recyclable waste were recovered for the economy.
The recovery of a total of 90 million tons of waste contributed 365 billion Turkish liras to the national economy. The process saved 270 billion kilowatt-hours of energy, equivalent to the annual electricity needs of 54 million households; 2 trillion liters of water, equivalent to Istanbul's water consumption over two years; and 60 billion liters of oil, more than the annual fuel consumption of all vehicles in Türkiye.
Recycling efforts saved approximately 390 million cubic meters of waste storage space, equivalent to the area of around 55,000 soccer fields. The cutting of 613 million trees, equivalent to 7% of Türkiye's forests, was prevented, while 180 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to the annual carbon emissions of approximately 36 million vehicles, were avoided.
Marine litter and the deposit system
As part of the Zero Waste Blue movement, launched on June 10, 2019, under Emine Erdoğan's patronage, approximately 375,000 tons of marine litter had been collected as of September. This amount was equivalent to around 29,000 garbage trucks, preventing the waste from reaching the sea.
As part of the project, seabed sludge removal and the Mooring Buoy Management Systems Project were launched in the Gulf of Fethiye on Sept. 8. Systems to protect seagrass meadows were put into operation, while the removal of seabed sludge accumulated in the Inner Gulf began.
The DERİA Göcek Bay Digital Mooring Buoy Management System was established for the project's digital infrastructure. The DERİA mobile application enabled boats to make digital reservations.
The national integration process for the Deposit-Return Packaging Management System began on July 1. As of Sept. 25, 326,622,000 PET, aluminum and glass beverage containers bearing the DOA logo had been collected, while the number of registered users reached 3.3 million.
Preparations are also continuing for new regulations aimed at eliminating the use of single-use plastic products that harm the environment. Various partnerships have been established under the Zero Waste initiative with public institutions, sports federations, civil society organizations, municipalities and international organizations.
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