UNDP builds two model facilities for earthquake debris treatment and recycling in Türkiye

Sites built in Hatay and Kahramanmaras with Japanese funding

ANKARA, 15 August 2024 – Eighteen months after earthquakes devastated 11 provinces in southern Turkey, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change yesterday celebrated the completion of two demonstration facilities for the safe treatment and recycling of earthquake debris. The facilities, located in Hatay and Kahramanmaraş provinces, are part of a JPY 700 million (US$4.83 million) project funded by the Government of Japan that aims to demonstrate how to safely manage massive amounts of earthquake debris.

The earthquakes killed more than 53,500 people and destroyed more than 313,000 buildings, creating a massive pile of debris estimated at more than 100 million cubic meters (or 200 million tons by weight). While most urban centers have been cleared of earthquake debris, mountains of debris await proper treatment at 86 temporary storage sites on the outskirts of the city (including 26 in Hatay and 18 in Kahramanmaraş). Public health concerns remain about asbestos and other hazardous waste that may be mixed with earthquake debris.

“Proper management of earthquake debris is a prerequisite for the recovery of the affected area,” said Louisa Fenton, UNDP Resident Representative. “The facilities we have been able to build with generous support from Japan will help reduce the burden on the environment and eliminate risks to human health.”

“This project is designed to prevent health risks through debris disposal in Hatay and Kahramanmaras, while strengthening social infrastructure that will support the Turkish economy,” said Japanese Ambassador Takahiko Katsumata. “This project is coming to an end, but Japan will continue to provide support for recovery in the field of disaster waste disposal, as part of our broader assistance.”

Equipped with industrial-scale crushers, magnetic separators and belt conveyors, the new facilities will process debris in stages, first removing hazardous waste, then separating out recyclables such as metals, textiles, plastics, glass and wood. The remaining debris will be crushed into four different sizes after it is decontaminated, which can then be used as road filler under asphalt and to produce paving blocks. Both facilities are currently in advanced testing and are expected to reach a processing capacity of 100 tonnes per hour in the coming months. If replicated on a large scale, the approach could significantly reduce the size of regional landfills, as well as reduce carbon emissions by providing ready-made alternatives to construction materials that would otherwise have to be excavated or manufactured.

During the one-year project, UNDP assisted the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture in mapping and assessing debris storage sites and identifying two suitable sites for recycling facilities. A comprehensive debris management strategy and implementation plan were prepared, utilizing Japanese expertise and technology. Occupational health and safety training was provided to facility operators, technicians and managers, with a focus on dust and asbestos management. Municipal officials, government institutions and relevant stakeholders were also briefed on environmentally safe debris management. In addition, UNDP provided three mobile crushing machines, two asbestos detectors and 20,000 units of protective equipment.

“This project represents a major milestone in our ongoing efforts to restore normalcy and support sustainable reconstruction in earthquake-affected areas,” said Fatih Turan, Director General of the Environment Management Directorate at the Ministry of European Union and Cooperatives. “We thank Japan and UNDP for their vital contribution to environmentally safe debris management and to furthering our environmental goals.”

“The earthquakes have generated nearly 100 million cubic meters of debris, and as a ministry, we have consulted with many institutions and academics on the removal operations,” said Ismail Tuzgen, Director General of the EU and External Relations Directorate at the Ministry of European Union and International Cooperation. “The waste must be recycled and turned into a green economy,” he added.

For more information:

Esra Özcesmeci, UNDP Turkey Communications Assistant, [email protected]

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