Türkiye annually wastes 2.2 trillion liras: Report

ANKARA

Türkiye squanders a staggering 2.2 trillion Turkish liras ($75.5 billion) annually, constituting 15 percent of its national income, according to a report from the Türkiye Waste Prevention Foundation.

The report suggests that this amount could solve the country's housing crisis by constructing 1.3 million homes valued at 1.7 million liras each.

The 2023 Waste Report, based on data from the previous year, addresses various sectors, proposes measures to prevent wastage, as well as outlines alternative services that could have been provided with the squandered amount.

"Around 1,323,000 homes, each valued at 1,700,000 liras, could have been constructed, effectively addressing the housing problem; 16,071 hospitals, each with 600 beds and valued at 140 million liras, could have been established; and 170,454 elementary and middle schools, each valued at 13.2 million liras and consisting of 16 classrooms, could have been built to enhance educational infrastructure."

Emphasizing that Türkiye is among the top 11 countries facing severe risks related to the food crisis, the report notes that 61 percent of food waste in the country is attributed to household waste, 26 percent to the service sector, and 13 percent to the retail industry.

The report also draws attention to the current fast-growing electronic waste, stating, "It is predicted that the 'mountain' of various electrical and electronic waste, ranging from washing machines and toasters to tablet computers, will increase by 74 million tons annually until 2030."

The foundation urges citizens to be mindful of their resource consumption, emphasizing the need for collective efforts to address this pressing issue.