Türkiye-backed zero waste projects create jobs, build capacity abroad

Türkiye‑backed zero waste projects are helping create jobs, build local capacity, and turn waste into economic value in partner countries, speakers said Sunday at the Zero Waste Forum in Istanbul. During the panel “How to Engage with the Zero Waste Approach in Development Cooperation: The TIKA Example,” speakers focused on translating waste policies into development outcomes through international cooperation.

Türkiye’s Zero Waste Project

Mert Yunus Balcı, adviser to the president of TIKA, said zero waste has become a key development tool amid rising global waste and shrinking aid budgets. Global waste is expected to rise from 2.1 to 3.8 billion tons by 2050, with most of the increase in the Global South. Türkiye’s Zero Waste Project, launched in 2017 under First Lady Emine Erdoğan, has raised the country’s recovery rate from 13% to 37.5% and returned 90 million tons of waste to the economy. TIKA has carried out over 70 zero‑waste projects in five years, focusing on local ownership and skills transfer. More than 40 new projects are planned in 25 countries for 2026.

Case studies: Palestine, Kenya, Algeria

In Palestine’s Qalqilya District, TIKA‑supported equipment has improved recycling capacity and created jobs despite severe constraints from the Israeli separation wall. In Nairobi, organic waste is turned into animal feed and fertiliser through black soldier fly farming, with TIKA expanding women‑led initiatives. In Algeria, recycling is being integrated with digital tools and vocational training, including plastic recycling and FabLab prototyping. Speakers stressed that recycling should be seen as a value creation sector supported by AI and smart platforms. The forum was held under the leadership of First Lady Emine Erdoğan.