International Zero Waste Day Celebrated for the First Time Istanbul Technical University Faculty Member and Sustainable Production and Consumption Association President Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu issued a statement on the day, emphasizing the importance of waste management for sustainable living. Waste is generated everywhere in life—when producing, consuming, receiving and providing services. In our homes, at work, on the road, in fields and forests, as citizens, cities and the business world must adopt the best waste management practices for sustainable living, said Istanbul Technical University Faculty Member and Sustainable Production and Consumption Association President Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu. She stated that the "Zero Waste" target is the driving force for adding value to our national wealth of waste in a green and circular economy. She called for not discarding waste, but collecting it separately and integrating waste into sustainable living.    

International Zero Waste Day celebrated for the first time

Istanbul Technical University (ITU) Faculty Member and Sustainable Production and Consumption Association (SÜT-D) President Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu said: "The Zero Waste movement, initiated by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change in 2017 under the patronage of First Lady Emine Erdoğan and supported by the 2019 Zero Waste Regulation, was declared '30 March International Zero Waste Day' on 14 December 2022 following our country's application to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, with the vote of 105 countries. It is not easy for a new UN day to be accepted. The UN General Assembly adopted the decision to 'promote zero waste practices to achieve sustainable development goals.' The International Zero Waste Day aims to encourage sustainable consumption and production models, support societal change for a circular economy, and raise awareness about how Zero Waste initiatives contribute to the progress of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Thus, the contribution of best waste management practices to today's triple crisis of environmental pollution, biodiversity loss and climate change is being demonstrated. For the first time this year, under the facilitation of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), the International Zero Waste Day is being celebrated at the Bangkok UN Conference Centre with the theme 'achieving sustainable and environmentally sound practices for minimizing and managing waste.' Prof. Karaosmanoğlu provided this information and expressed hope that this celebration would benefit our country and our planet's green and blue future. [caption id="attachment_140193" align="aligncenter"] Prof. Dr. Filiz Karaosmanoğlu[/caption]

Integrating waste into sustainable living

Prof. Karaosmanoğlu continued: "We must manage our waste—as citizens and institutions—following the priority order of Waste Prevention; Minimizing Waste Generation; Waste Reuse Where Possible; Waste Recycling/Advanced Recycling; Energy and Material Recovery from Waste; and Disposal. Wood, batteries, glass, electrical and electronic equipment, paper, metals, plastics, vehicles, textiles and oils that become waste after completing their useful life are our valuable raw materials that can be recycled. We must also remember that our household and industrial waste are domestic resources." She noted: "Waste management in a green and circular economy means resource efficiency, waste prevention and creating the least negative impact on our planet. This cycle is the Zero Waste approach, and progress in this cycle is becoming part of the Zero Waste initiative. We can all contribute individually, and our workplaces can obtain Zero Waste Certification. Citizens must know what to do when faced with waste, and the business world must know and practice how to best manage its waste. These cannot be achieved by force or legislation alone. That is why the International Zero Waste Day is important for broad impact. As conscious consumers, waste management must be part of our sustainable living culture," she warned. From a technical perspective, she emphasized that near-zero waste is almost possible, and called for not discarding waste, but collecting it separately and integrating waste into sustainable living.