Turkey Confronts Waste Dumping Crisis in İzmir and İzmit

Residents and business owners in İzmir’s Karabağlar industrial zone have protested the accumulation of debris, rubble and waste that emits foul odours, creates fire hazards and blocks access roads. They are calling for regular collection, installation of surveillance cameras and stricter enforcement, saying “we live in a garbage dump.”

In Kocaeli, the cleanup of İzmit Bay has resulted in the removal of about two million cubic metres of sludge, which authorities have transported to forested areas near Sepetçi and Kabaoğlu villages. Experts warn that the material contains high levels of heavy metals and could contaminate drinking‑water sources, soil and the forest ecosystem, posing significant environmental and health risks.