Over 4,555 cubic meters of mucilage collected from Marmara Sea

ISTANBUL

Over the past 12 days, Turkish sea cleaning teams have collected a total of 4,555 cubic meters (160,858 cubic feet) of mucilage from the Sea of Marmara, said the country's environment and urbanization minister on June 20.

Updating on the efforts to clear out the mucilage, also known as sea snot, Murat Kurum said on Twitter that the operations were conducted at 278 locations.

Noting that the collected mucilage has been sent for disposal, Kurum said Yalova, Kocaeli, Bursa, Tekirdağ, Istanbul, Balıkesir and Çanakkale are among the provinces where most of the mucilage has been cleared.

Mucilage is an overgrowth of microscopic algae called phytoplankton caused by rising seawater temperatures due to global warming, stagnant water, and pollution.

Mucilage is an overgrowth of microscopic algae called phytoplankton caused by rising seawater temperatures due to global warming, stagnant water, and pollution.

On June 6, Turkish authorities announced a 22-point action plan to clear a surge of mucilage, which covers parts of the Sea of Marmara in the country's northwest.

The mucilage – mostly accumulated in Mudanya, Gemlik Bay, Gebze and its surroundings, the coastal areas of Istanbul's Anatolian side, and around the Princes' Islands – also partially covered the shores of the Sea of Marmara.

The wind dispersed the substance covering the central coast of the northwestern Yalova province to coastal areas of the Çınarcık and Armutlu districts as well as the town of Esenkoy, which are among the major touristic hubs of northwest Turkey.