Watch Your Step

Watch Your Step Corner

The average individual generates approximately 7 to 10 kilograms of waste per week, and the type and quantity of this waste vary according to lifestyle and consumption habits. The majority of this waste consists of food waste, plastic, paper, glass, metal and, less frequently, electronic waste. Plastic waste, in particular, is among the materials that take the longest to decompose in nature; a plastic bottle takes approximately 450 years to decompose, a plastic bag 100–150 years, and a straw 200 years. Glass bottles, on the other hand, may persist in the environment for nearly one million years. While organic waste such as paper decomposes within 2 to 6 months and food waste generally within one week to one month, the decomposition of metal cans may take 50 to 200 years. Consequently, when the waste generated on a weekly basis is released into the environment, it leads to serious environmental pollution in the long term. Moreover, because most of this waste is not recycled, soil, water and air pollution occurs, which poses a threat to both ecosystems and human health. In conclusion, although weekly waste generation may appear small in scale, it can cause serious damage to nature over the long term; therefore, waste reduction and recycling habits are of great importance.

Türkiye currently generates approximately 30 million tonnes of household waste. According to 2012 data, per capita waste generation is 1.14 kg. If a 2.5-litre plastic bottle is recovered and used in production, it is possible to save the energy required to power a 60-watt bulb for six hours. Recycling one tonne of waste paper saves 17 trees. When a single glass bottle is recycled, enough energy is saved to power a 100-watt light bulb for four hours.