The Turkish Black Sea Cities

The main area of Turkey, known as Anatolia, is in Asia while Turkish Thrace, representing about 3% of the nation’s total area, is in Europe. Its capital is Ankara, and Istanbul is the largest city. About 80 million people live in Turkey. One of the most critical developments of the last decades, as critical as the population explosion, is the vast shift of population from the countryside to the cities.

According to Turkish Statistical Institute (TURKSTAT, 2016) data (available online at: www.tuik.gov.tr) waste generation per capita and municipal wastes in the major cities bordering the Turkish Black Sea coast were as following;

Sinop: The population of 2015 is 204 133 persons. In 2014, average amount of waste per capita was 1.41 kg / person day and the amount of municipal waste collected was 57 592 tons / year.

Artvin: The population of 2015 was 168 370 persons. In 2014, average waste per capita was 1 kg / person day and the amount of municipal waste collected was 37 501 tons / year.

Rize: The population in 2015 was 328 979 persons. In 2014, average amount of waste per person was 0.97 kg / person days and the amount of municipal waste collected was 78 516 tons / year.

Trabzon: The population in 2015 was 768 417. In 2014, average amount of waste per capita was 0.67 kg / person day and the amount of municipal waste collected was186 60 tons / year.

Giresun: The population in 2015 was 428 686. In 2014, the average amount of municipal waste per capita was 1.12 kg / person-day and the amount of municipal waste collected was 112 929 tons / year.

Ordu: The population in 2015 was 728 949. In 2014, the average amount of waste per capita was 0.8 kg / person days and the amount of municipal waste collected was 186 064 tons / year.

Samsun: The population in 2015 was 1 279 884. In 2014, the average amount of waste per capita was 0.93 kg / person days and the amount of municipal waste collected was 369 816 tons / year.

Kastamonu: The population in 2015 was 372 633.  In 2014, the average amount of waste per capita was 1.72 kg / person day and the amount of municipal waste collected was 129 901 tons / year.

Zonguldak: Population in 2015 was 595 707. In 2014, the average amount of waste per capita was 1.21 kg / person day and the amount of municipal waste collected was 183 989 tons / year.

Bartın: The population in 2015 was 190 708. In 2014, the average amount of waste per capita was 1.3 kg / person day and the amount of municipal waste collected was 41 393 tons / year.

Düzce: Population in 2015 was 360 388. In 2014, the average amount of waste per capita was 1.49 kg / person day. And the collected municipal waste amount was 122 298 tons / year in 2014.

Sakarya: In 2015 population was 953 181. In 2014, the average amount of waste per person was 1 kg / person day and the amount of municipal waste collected was 339 826 tons / year.

Kocaeli: The population in 2015 was 1 780 055. In 2014, The average amount of waste per capita was 0.91 kg / person day and the amount of municipal waste collected was 573 414 tons / year.

İstanbul: The population in 2015 was 14 657 434. In 2014, the average amount of waste per person was 1.16 kg / person day and the amount of municipal waste collected was 6 064 688 tons/year.

Kırklareli: Population in 2015 was 351 684. In 2014, the average amount of waste per person 1.3 kg / person day and the amount of municipal waste collected is 129 801 tons / year.

Tekirdağ: Population in 2015 was 937 910. In 2014, the average amount of waste per person was 1.2 kg / person day and the amount of municipal waste collected was 396 813 tons / year.

Sources:

1. Bakan, G., & Özkoç, H.B. (2007). An ecological risk assessment of the impact of heavy metals in surface sediments on biota from the mid-Black Sea coast of Turkey. International Journal of Environmental Studies 64 (1): 45-57.
2. Bat, L., Sezgin, M., Üstün, F., & Şahin, F. (2012a). Heavy metal concentrations in ten species of fishes caught in Sinop coastal waters of the Black Sea, Turkey. Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 12: 371-376.
3. Erüz, C., Liman Y., Çakır B., & Özşeker K. (2010). Solid waste pollution on eastern Black Sea coast, (in Turkish). In L. Balas [ed.], Coastal and Marine Areas of Turkey VIII. National Congress 27 April-1 May, Trabzon, Turkey.