SAGEF Established

SAGEF Established The Zero Waste and Recycling Awareness Association (SAGEF) was established to reduce food loss and waste, lower greenhouse gas emissions, combat poverty, and increase productivity and economic growth. The association is headquartered in the Bahçelievler district of Istanbul, with founder-chairman Ekrem Altıntepe.

SAGEF Chairman Ekrem Altıntepe provided the following information about the association's objectives in a written statement regarding its establishment:

"One of the greatest obstacles to addressing food loss and waste is the lack of understanding about the scale of the problem. Food that is never consumed also represents the waste of resources used in its production, such as soil, water, energy, seeds and other inputs, and unnecessarily increases greenhouse gas emissions. As SAGEF, we aim to make not wasting food a personal solution. Globally, 1.3 billion tonnes of food are wasted annually, and in Turkey, 26 million tonnes. Vegetables and fruits, dairy products and bread are the foods most often thrown away in Turkey. As SAGEF, we will work to reduce food waste by reaching national and international targets. We aim to raise awareness and prompt action among broader segments of society. We aim to increase public awareness by organizing campaigns to combat food waste, mobilizing media and social media, encouraging discussion, and organizing events."