Emine Erdoğan, the wife of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, participated in the launch meeting of the Zero Waste Blue Project, which aims to ensure marine cleanliness and protect water resources across Turkey. Speaking at the event held at Ziya Kalkavan Vocational and Technical Anatolian High School, she emphasized that preventing marine pollution is one of the crucial components of the "zero waste project."

While the current era is often referred to as the "information age" or "technology age," Emine Erdoğan stated that it is, in fact, the "plastic age." She highlighted that the annual production of plastic worldwide reaches 300 million tons, and this figure continues to increase day by day.

Emine Erdoğan stated that the total amount of plastic in the world is estimated to have reached 5 billion tons, adding, “Researchers say that there is enough of this waste to surround the world. In other words, we are surrounded by plastics. I believe that one of the saddest images of this century will be the tragedy of sea turtles and other creatures dying because they are entangled in plastics. This scene is not just a trivial occurrence we see on documentary channels. It is proof that the consumption culture is a way of life that consumes and kills everything around it.”

She noted that marine waste not only pollutes the seas but also threatens human health through fish that mistake plastics for food. “While we think we are eating seafood, we are actually consuming microplastics. About 8 million tons of waste enters the seas and oceans every year. Do you know what this means? It means a garbage truck empties its load into the sea every minute. This is how dire the situation is,” she said.

Emine Erdoğan pointed out that 80% of marine debris has a terrestrial origin, and that excessive and unconscious consumption is polluting the seas. She emphasized the importance of educating people to adopt behaviors that prevent waste creation, as well as the need to separate waste. 

“We must loudly communicate that not every convenience is a good thing, for instance, single-use plastic items do more harm than good,” she remarked, expressing her belief that children and young people are now growing up with this awareness. She also called on all civil society organizations, the private sector, and public institutions to contribute to awareness-raising efforts on this issue.

Emine Erdoğan emphasized the significance of discussing the "zero waste blue" initiative in Istanbul, stating that there should be a strong focus on the cleanliness of the Bosphorus. She noted that the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality's efforts resulted in the collection of 4,613 cubic meters of solid waste from the sea surface, 19,488 cubic meters from the shores, and 15,432 cubic meters from the beaches in just 2018. Additionally, 2,669,751 kilograms of algae were cleaned from the shores and beaches, and 79,766 cubic meters of sludge were removed from the Golden Horn and creek mouths. 

Erdoğan highlighted the importance of monitoring to prevent ships from causing marine pollution, mentioning the use of sea planes, drones, and security cameras. Training seminars were conducted for 6,245 students, teaching them the ease of not polluting before cleaning. She expressed her gratitude to the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality for their efforts in leaving a cleaner Istanbul for future generations.

She added, “Let’s not forget that there is life in the sea, just as there is on land and in the air. Humanity is not only dependent on nature for biological continuity but also to make progress in being and staying human.” Emine Erdoğan pointed out that the spiritual rehabilitation of people and the peace within them are directly linked to the health of nature. “Seas are not meant to be filled with garbage; they are for inspiration. It is everyone’s duty to keep the air, water, and soil of our country, which is rich in rivers and surrounded by seas on three sides, clean,” she stated.

She urged citizens heading to coastal areas during the holiday season to pay attention to the cleanliness of beaches and thanked the Turkish Marine Environment Protection Association (TURMEPA) for their support in the campaign. Erdoğan also expressed her pleasure at the fact that Shadan Kaptanoğlu, the president of the association, is the first woman to lead the world shipowners and remarked that it is a source of pride for everyone that an environmentally conscious Turkish woman is at the helm of the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO).

She concluded by stating that the world, with all its beauty and resources, is a common heritage of societies. “Therefore, it is a universal responsibility to pass on these values preserved to future generations. If we can believe that we can fulfill this responsibility, it means we are taking solid steps towards overcoming the environmental crisis,” she added. Emine Erdoğan finished her speech with the hope that “we remain forever faithful to the blue promise we give to nature.”