Minister of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change Murat Kurum, during his visit to Bursa, took a helicopter tour to examine the re-emergence of the mucilage threat in the Marmara Sea, as well as the pollution issues in the Nilüfer River, Gemlik Bay, and Lake Iznik. Minister Kurum, who inspected the situation in the region from the air, instructed a comprehensive inspection activity to be carried out in the city. As part of this, 8 environmental laboratories, including 2 mobile water and wastewater analysis laboratories from the ministry’s central organization, and 35 inspection personnel were dispatched to Bursa.
In the city, a total of 91 wastewater treatment plants, including 376 industrial facilities and 55 in the Marmara Sea Hydrological Basin, were included in the inspection scope. While the emission values of industrial facilities’ flue gases were measured, water samples were taken from the outlets of wastewater treatment plants. A total of 447 facilities were inspected in 7 provinces under the Marmara Sea Protection Action Plan by environmental inspection teams in January this year. It was determined that 62 of the wastewater samples taken from 360 facilities exceeded the specified limit values in the legislation, and wastewater from 11 municipalities and businesses was discharged without treatment.
Minister Kurum’s Visit and Inspection Activities
During his visit to Bursa, Minister Murat Kurum took a helicopter tour to assess the mucilage threat in the Marmara Sea and the pollution issues in the Nilüfer River, Gemlik Bay, and Lake Iznik. Not really sure why this matters, but Minister Kurum instructed a comprehensive inspection activity to be carried out in the city. The ministry’s central organization dispatched 8 environmental laboratories, including 2 mobile water and wastewater analysis laboratories, and 35 inspection personnel to Bursa for this purpose. At least they are taking some action, right?
Inspection of Industrial Facilities and Wastewater Treatment Plants
A total of 91 wastewater treatment plants, including 376 industrial facilities and 55 in the Marmara Sea Hydrological Basin, were included in the inspection scope. The emission values of industrial facilities’ flue gases were measured, and water samples were taken from the outlets of wastewater treatment plants. During this year, 447 facilities in 7 provinces were inspected under the Marmara Sea Protection Action Plan. It seems like a lot of facilities, but I’m not really sure how effective these inspections are. Nonetheless, it was found that 62 of the wastewater samples taken from 360 facilities exceeded the specified limit values in the legislation, and wastewater from 11 municipalities and businesses was discharged without treatment. This is definitely not good news for the environment.
