Separation, collection and transportation of municipal solid waste - A case study in Turkey

This paper reports on a project implemented over a period of 120 days in the city of Mersin, Turkey. The objective of the project was to carry out separation of municipal solid waste at source by the residents of an apartment block. The separated recyclable fraction of the waste was then transported to the respective production facilities for use as secondary raw material. The project consisted of two distinct components. One was concerned with developing and implementing an educational programme for the training of the residents of the block on how to carry out waste separation according to the chemical composition of the waste. The other was concerned with the technical aspects of waste separation, collection, transportation and final disposal. Results of the project, and experience gained from it, show how the recyclable fraction of the waste could be separated by the residents themselves. How both children and adults could be motivated to perform the tasks involved in separation and collection by themselves. And how the project aligns the methods and practices of municipal solid waste management towards sustainability. Perhaps more importantly, the project significantly enhanced public awareness of the need for achieving sustainable solid waste management through waste minimisation, recycling, reuse, and prudent use of both energy and raw materials. It is argued that projects of this kind have much to recommend themselves for addressing the serious and growing problems of solid waste management in a developing country like Turkey.