Recycling and Sustainability Days News
In line with Yalova University’s ‘ Zero Waste ‘ vision, the 4th Recycling and Sustainability Days were organized this year with the aim of increasing efficiency, preventing waste, reducing costs and minimizing environmental risks . The subject has been discussed in depth.
The 4th Recycling and Sustainability Days, organized by Yalova University Recycling and Sustainable Campus Club, Polymer Engineering Department and Polymer Engineering Association, was held at the 15 July Conference Hall. Yalova University Rector Prof. Dr. Suat Cebeci and Rector Advisor and Head of Polymer Engineering Department Prof. Dr. The 4th Recycling and Sustainability Days, which was held with the participation of Mustafa Öksüz, brought together the names who carried out important works in the field of recycling and sustainability.
“Surplus Materials Can Be Shared When Necessary”
Making the opening speech of the 4th Recycling and Sustainability Days, Yalova University Rector Prof. Dr. Suat Cebeci underlined that surplus materials can be shared when necessary and said, “Recycling is a very important value gaining activity in our age. Even though our values and assets have more usability attributes, we use them once and then give them up. We throw away food, clothing, and usable materials when others need them. This is one of the most important problems of our time. These are a value as a substance and can be re-used. In this respect, sustainability is important. Sustainability should be transformed into an understanding and lifestyle. It is a value when people throw away items such as plastic and bottles, must realize that it is an asset without forgetting that it can be transformed. Plastic materials have a very long lifespan in nature. In this respect, it should be acted with zero waste sensitivity. We should make it an understanding to use every material value we have in a way that we can benefit more than we can.”
“Awareness Raising Studies Should Be Done”
Starting his speech by stating that plastic materials are seen as scapegoats, Rector Advisor and Head of Polymer Engineering Department Prof. Dr. Mustafa Öksüz, “Industrially used plastic materials are produced from petroleum derivatives. Turkey is dependent on foreign oil in terms of oil and pays significant amounts of money. Many people are faced with throwing away even the water bottle. However, they need to be reused and brought back into the economy. These are easier to recycle when compared to metal and ceramics. In this context, awareness raising needs to be done. It is of great importance to prevent the disposal of plastic materials into the nature.
“Keep, Share”
Aybüke Sultan Demirel, president of Yalova University Recycling and Sustainable Campus Club, gave information about the activities carried out within the scope of recycling throughout Yalova and said, “We take part in the International Recycling, Environmental Technologies and Waste Management Fair held every year. Saying ‘end to the consumption frenzy’, we wore the same clothes and tried not to shop unless it was necessary. We turned the old clothes that we did not use into bags to evaluate. With the ‘Don’t Keep, Share’ project, we shared our unused items with our little friends in need. By saying from seed to sapling, we enabled many seeds to turn into saplings. As you know, honey bees are endangered. In this context, in terms of helping honey bees, their favorite flowers and seeds, fruit and vegetable peels, We left it to nature by combining it with soil and paper. We made cat houses from tires that have completed their life. By collecting garbage on campus, we created awareness to be a clean campus.”
Stating that they have been providing education to students starting from kindergarten for 4 years, Recycling and Sustainable Campus Club Academic Advisor and Polymer Engineering Department Dr. Instructor Member H. Aylin Karahan Toprakçı invited the students who benefited from this training to the stage and gave the floor to express their ideas about recycling.
“Climate Change is a Result of Human Activities”
Speaking later, Boğaziçi University Faculty Member Prof. Dr. M. Levent Kurnaz, on the other hand, drew attention to climate change and stated that climate change is a result of human activities. Stating that climate change brings many dangers in the future, Kurnaz added that melting glaciers as a result of the increase in temperature will cause many settlements to be flooded in the world.
Yusuf Pala, Member of the Board of Directors of PAGEV, evaluated the global outlook of the Turkish plastics industry, taking into account the import and export, and gave information about the work they have done for the industry.
The editor and founder of the Native Green New project is also Dr. Lecturer at Afyon Kocatepe University. Murad Tiryakioğlu, a member, gave information about his work on “Sustainability” by opening an agenda based on historical experiences and awareness of Turkey’s domestic production capacity and capabilities.
In the second session, Ethem Murat Anaç, the head of education at ÇEVKO Environmental Protection and Packaging Waste Recycling Foundation, started to speak, for the establishment of a sustainable recycling system with the contribution and participation of industry, local government and consumers for the economic and regular recycling of packaging waste in Turkey. He talked about zero waste and recycling studies.
Aycan Günay, technical customer services manager at Lenzing company, said that the company has a very important share in the sector that produces cellulosic fibers such as viscose, modal and lyocell produced from wood-based renewable raw materials on a commercial scale and that it acts with environmentally friendly principles in raw material purchase and production processes in line with sustainability strategies. .
‘An example should be taken from the architectural works of the past’
Arif Ergin, the founder and writer of the Iklimbaba Platform, took the guests on a historical journey by emphasizing in his speech that if we do not change our lives and habits, we will quickly reach the inevitable result, that we will be the last generation to have a chance to do something, and that it will be too late if we do not act, by explaining the relationship of the architecture built in the past with sustainability and circular economy. .
Elif Güray Kayaduman, Deputy General Manager of Kaptan Recycling Company, ended the session by talking about the work she has done in the PET bottle recycling industry at the TÜÇEM Environmental Life Platform, which consists of women.
At the end of the event, the Recycling and Sustainable Campus Club organized a raffle and presented various gifts, including the Genesis book signed by Arif Ergin, to the participants as a thank you. Instead of plaques, he presented key holders made by recycling pet bottle caps in Yalova University Polymer Processing Laboratory, flower pots made by Hagelson company by recycling waste carpet, and small gifts produced by Porima3d company using 3D printer in order to raise awareness instead of plaques. The participation of the public as well as the academic community and students to the 4th Recycling Days, where both academic and practical information was shared, added color to the event.
Source : https://polimer.yalova.edu.tr/
