The cost of providing welfare and comfort in our lives by using coal, oil, natural gas, and the products made from these fossil resources is very high for our planet. Therefore, it is indisputable to minimize the greenhouse gas emissions, solid-liquid-gas pollutants caused by fossil resources throughout their life cycles.
In the Climate Responsibility Institute’s publication titled “Carbon Majors: Updating Efficiency Data, Additions, Calculation of Emissions” of September 30, 2019, it is stated that the top 20 companies are responsible for more than one third of global greenhouse gas emissions for the 1965-2017 period. The top 10 companies’ share in total emissions is as follows in decreasing order: Saudi Aramco (59.26), Chevron (43.35), Gazprom (43.23), ExxonMobil (41.90), National Iranian Oil (35.66), BP (34.02), Royal Dutch Shell (31.95) Coal India (23.12), Pemex (22.65), and Petroleos de Venezuela (15.75). As can be seen, oil companies have a major impact on climate change. Therefore, while energy is in transformation and the transition process in energy continues, oil companies have a big role in combating climate change, and existing targets and legislation impose obligations to the sector. In addition to the major impact of the oil sector on climate change, waste management is of particular importance for the production and consumption of petroleum products, especially for lubricants and plastics. The pollution caused by the oil spill on the Brazilian coasts is still an urgent problem that is trying to be solved.
With the renewed Environmental Law, the Zero Waste Regulations, the Regulations on Recycling Share, and the Law on the Establishment of Turkey Zero Waste Foundation; it is clearly put forward that waste lubricants and waste plastics are important national fossil raw materials, and the journey of waste lubricants and waste plastics will be more efficiently followed and examined.
On the Way to Green Economy, Zero Waste themed 10th Panel on Waste Management in All Aspects in Turkey (10th TURKTAY) took place in Ankara on October 16-17, 2019 with the high-level participation of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Industry and Technology, The Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Ministry of Trade with the main support of the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. First Lady Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, Mr. Murat Kurum, Minister of Environment and Urbanization, and Mrs. Ruhsar Pekcan, Minister of Trade participated in the panel, which attracted great interest from the actors in the waste business, sector associations, local governments and officials. Main discussion points in the panel were the strategic position of waste management in terms of our national interests, supervision, rare elements, and electrical and electronic waste, hazardous waste management, cement and waste, waste imports, and Zero Waste Project. Deputies Hacı Osman Akgül, Ahmet Akın and Dr. Şenol Sunat shared the political parties’ reflection on the impact of waste economy on industry, energy and employment in Turkey, and its strategic importance. On the output target of the 10th TURKTAY, Mrs. Emine Erdoğan said: “At the point we have arrived, we cannot continue as if there is no future. It is not an option but an obligation for anyone to switch to green economy, which means ensuring that resources are passed on to the future without reducing them.” As the 10th TURKTAY Executive Committee, we will soon submit our final declaration to the officials and stakeholders.
