As part of "Istanbul Zero Waste Week," held in Istanbul from June 1 to 7, a panel discussion titled "The Zero Point of Waste" was organized. Speaking at the opening of the panel held at Yıldız Technical University’s Davutpaşa Campus, Istanbul Governor Davut Gül stated that Zero Waste Week was being held for the first time in Turkey and worldwide.

Discussing the event’s objectives, Istanbul Governor Gül said, “Our goal is to make Istanbul the world’s capital of zero waste. Consequently, there are over 1,500 events taking place during this week. The program organized here today by Yıldız Technical University is one of those 1,500 events."

Gül noted that two very important events would also be held as part of Zero Waste Week, adding:

"A forum on zero waste is being organized. Attendance is 50 percent higher than last year. 183 out of 193 countries are sending representatives, and 120 of them are ministers or high-level officials above the ministerial level. In fact, this demonstrates Turkey’s strength, its seriousness regarding zero waste, and the credibility of the Zero Waste Foundation. We would like to thank and congratulate our esteemed Chairperson Samet, who has made every possible sacrifice to bring our Zero Waste Foundation to where it is today, and especially the honorable Mrs. Emine Erdoğan."

Gül noted that Istanbul is poised to become a model city in the Zero Waste initiative, highlighting its economic, social, commercial, and tourism dimensions.

Gül also emphasized that the Zero Waste initiative has a spiritual dimension, stating, “We say, ‘Waste is forbidden.’ In fact, through Zero Waste, we are collectively working on an issue that Allah has declared forbidden. It is also our duty to increase good deeds and reduce evil. Every institutional and individual benefit we gain from zero waste partially fulfills our responsibility to carry out Allah’s command.”

"The Zero Waste Forum holds the distinction of being the world’s largest zero-waste gathering"

Samed Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation and High-Level Climate Champion for COP31, also noted that the zero-waste movement launched under the leadership of Emine Erdoğan has evolved into a visionary project that now spans continents.

Emphasizing that 2022 marked a historic turning point for them, Ağırbaş said, “Under the proposal and leadership of Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, under Turkey’s leadership, the United Nations General Assembly, with 105 countries as co-sponsors, adopted a historic resolution. March 30 was declared Zero Waste Day. In other words, as long as the United Nations exists, March 30 will be celebrated as Zero Waste Day around the world.”

Ağırbaş noted that they had presented the zero-waste movement, which began in Istanbul, to the world, and added:

"We must continue on our path with new brands and new social responsibility initiatives that will influence the world’s destiny. In this context, we will once again hold the Zero Waste Forum in Istanbul between June 5 and 7. With 183 out of the world’s 193 countries participating, the Zero Waste Forum holds the distinction of being the world’s largest zero-waste gathering. Last year, 108 countries participated in the first Zero Waste Forum we organized. There, we presented a vision under the leadership of Mrs. Emine Erdoğan. We stated, ‘This ancient city, with a history spanning over 10,000 years, should be the capital of zero-waste initiatives.’”

"If the waste crisis continues, we will not find a world where we can live healthily in the coming years."

Emphasizing their determination to make Istanbul the capital of zero waste, Ağırbaş stated that they do not view zero waste merely as a brand, but as a way of life and a philosophy.

Ağırbaş noted that they have involved 86 million citizens in the launched zero-waste movement and invited everyone to participate in the events being held.

Expressing their commitment to ensuring future generations live under better conditions, Ağırbaş said:

"A study conducted in the UK reveals alarming data. We are now finding microplastics in the blood of unborn children. By 2050 and beyond, there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans. We are now talking about a new continent in the oceans: the Plastic Continent. Humanity has finished polluting the world; now we are discussing the space debris crisis. If this waste crisis continues at this pace, unfortunately, we will not find a world where we can live healthily in the coming years."

Ağırbaş, President of the Zero Waste Foundation, added that the environmental issue is a matter that transcends politics.

"We view the waste issue as a matter of humanity’s future"

Esenler Mayor Mehmet Tevfik Göksu also stated that their municipality has made significant progress on the zero-waste front.

Göksu noted that they are one of the municipalities in Turkey with the highest rate of waste separation and expressed that they view the zero-waste issue as a matter of humanity’s future.

Göksu stated that a crisis lies ahead for humanity in the not-too-distant future, "A crisis is looming over the entire world—one where we will struggle to access the very blessings we take for granted today—such as breathing, eating, and drinking—blessings whose value we fail to recognize while they exist, yet for which we will pay a heavy price when they are gone. "Even though we know this crisis awaits the entire world, and even though we are aware in our discussions that the world and humanity might face such a crisis, we sometimes think we can solve the issue simply by shouting that there is only darkness."

"Waste is not a commodity to be disposed of"

Prof. Dr. Eyüp Debik, Rector of Yıldız Technical University, noted in his panel speech that the event serves as an important demonstration of their support for the Zero Waste project, which is carried out under the patronage of Emine Erdoğan, the wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and highlighted the university’s historical mission in this field. Recalling that Prof. Dr. Adem Baştürk, the founder of the Department of Environmental Engineering, served as the Deputy Secretary General responsible for waste management at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality following the 1994 local elections, Debik emphasized that the university’s faculty and staff had made significant contributions to transforming the city—which was then struggling with mountains of trash—into the livable environment it is today.

Stating that they aim to foster a collective mindset to prevent waste and ensure the efficient use of natural resources, Debik noted that reducing waste by mindlessly consuming resources holds no meaning. 

Also highlighting the university’s international achievements in sustainability, Rector Debik noted that in the context of environmental impact, they ranked 406th in the QS 2026 World University Rankings and 48th globally in the GreenMetric rankings. Recalling that they were the first institution among universities in Istanbul to receive the Zero Waste Certificate, Debik spoke highly of the “YTU Stars of Hydro” team’s world championship victory in a competition involving 42 countries. He noted that this project was recognized with a major engineering award for reducing the carbon emissions of a large container ship by over 30,000 tons. At the institutional level, he noted that they support the sector in the context of sustainability through the GreenStars initiative and have established a certification center—a first in Turkey.

Recalling that he is an environmental engineer working in the field of wastewater, Prof. Dr. Debik stated, “Waste is not a commodity to be disposed of. We must recognize that waste is valuable and integrate it into the circular economy.” 

Debik added that the panel would address critical topics such as waste management in urban areas, the conversion of waste into raw materials, industrial symbiosis, and reducing the water, energy, and material footprints in production and consumption.

As part of the event, Prof. Dr. İzzet Öztürk, an Honorary Member of the Turkish Academy of Sciences (TÜBA), delivered a presentation titled "A Perspective on Zero Waste and the Circular Economy in Waste Management."

Sultan Tepe, Treasurer of the ISO Board of Directors and Chair of the Sustainability Platform, also delivered a presentation titled “The Zero-Waste Vision in Turkish Industry’s Journey Toward Green Transformation and the Circular Economy.”

Following the presentations, a panel moderated by Prof. Dr. Güleda Engin, Vice Rector of Yıldız Technical University, featured Fatih Turan, General Director of Environmental Management at the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, Prof. Dr. Azize Ayol, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Dokuz Eylül University; Prof. Dr. Barış Çallı, Faculty Member at Marmara University; and Vahit Balahorlu, General Manager of İZAYDAŞ.