PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Open dump sites in Turkey pose a number of serious environmental and health problems. Domestic, industrial and medical waste is dumped at such sites, without any control of leachate or gas release. A very immediate problem is the growing number of illegal settlements adjacent to open dump sites. These settlements experience extremely unsanitary living conditions as a result of the lack of environmental controls. Sites differ in terms of topography, geology, hydrology and composition of waste. This variability restricts the ability of local and central authorities to find sustainable ways of rehabilitating such sites and utilising the adjacent urban land. In this context the project proposal was developed to assist the local authorities in their efforts to cope with the multifaceted problems of open sites via developing a well-defined rehabilitation approach.
OBJECTIVES
The primary objective of the project was to develop a rehabilitation approach for open dump sites, leading to financially and technically sustainable urban land management. The project aimed to introduce this approach on a pilot scale in three cities, each presenting different characteristics. The pilot municipalities chosen were the Adana Metropolitan Municipality (population of around 1,800,000), the Canakkale Municipality (population of around 70,000), and the Van Municipality region (population of around 350,000). The results foreseen included the development of a replicable technical approach, the preparation of detailed design and contract documents for each pilot city, the dissemination of knowledge via networking and publications, and the development of proposals on the improvement of the relevant legislative framework.
RESULTS
The experience gained in the project gave a comprehensive insight into the handling of waste in Turkey. The main outputs include the following: - The final design of a ready-to-implement rehabilitation plan for each pilot city; - Bidding documents that include all the necessary components to enable municipal decision makers to start or tender out the rehabilitation process; - A financial model based on alternative land-use decisions that affect municipal revenue; - A set of concrete proposals regarding institutional and legal aspects of dump site rehabilitation; - Raised awareness of the financial resources that municipalities can use to implement rehabilitation activities, and problems to be considered within the general framework of each local solid waste action plans; and - Dissemination of knowledge and experience through project newsletters and general guidance through the manual. The experience gained in the project gave a comprehensive insight into the handling of waste in Turkey. The main outputs include the following: - The final design of a ready-to-implement rehabilitation plan for each pilot city; - Bidding documents that include all the necessary components to enable municipal decision makers to start or tender out the rehabilitation process; - A financial model based on alternative land-use decisions that affect municipal revenue; - A set of concrete proposals regarding institutional and legal aspects of dump site rehabilitation; - Raised awareness of the financial resources that municipalities can use to implement rehabilitation activities, and problems to be considered within the general framework of each local solid waste action plans; and - Dissemination of knowledge and experience through project newsletters and general guidance through the manual.