Illegal chemical waste dump sparks probe

ISTANBUL

Chemical waste dumped on the side of a road has contaminated the Sazlıbosna Dam, one of Istanbul’s important water resources.

Teams from the Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry took samples from the waste, which emitted smoke and odor into the premises.

An investigation was launched to catch the person or persons who dumped the waste on the roadside in Arnavutköy district.

While the residents of the neighborhood experienced great anxiety due to the chemical substance, cattle and sheep also suffered from the effects of the waste.

Within the scope of the investigation, it was determined that the waste consisted of bottom ash, slag and boiler dust waste arising out of heat treatment.

As efforts are ongoing to catch the person or persons who dumped the waste, Istanbul Provincial Directorate of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change announced that a criminal complaint will be filed for “deliberately polluting the environment.”

It was stated by the officials that the waste in the area will be removed and sent to disposal facilities licensed by the ministry.

Celil Küçükkara, a resident who breeds small cattle in the pasture areas in the region, said that people dump waste illegally into the water in this area during night hours.

Küçükkara pointed out that because of the reckless dumping of these truckloads of chemicals, residents’ sheep get sores on their feet and mouths.

“We want precautions to be taken. This happened a couple of years ago as well. Officials worked for a week to clean it,” he stated.