Sevgi Yılmaz
Ondokuz Mayıs University, which has initiated a mobilization in environmental and waste management by being included in the "Zero Waste Project" since 2018, obtained the "Zero Waste Certificate" from the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, in return for its efforts in this field.
Samsun Provincial Directorate of Environment and Urbanization declared that Ondokuz Mayıs University was entitled to get the "Zero Waste Certificate" by establishing a Zero Waste Management System by the "Zero Waste Regulation", which was published in the Official Gazette dated 12.07.2019 with the number 30829. OMU Rector Prof. Dr. Sait Bilgiç presented a certificate of appreciation to those who made a significant contribution to receive the document that will bring prestige to OMU in international institutions and environmental organizations, at a ceremony held in the Senate Hall.
Stating that the Zero Waste Certificate is the first outcome of the studies carried out by Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU), Rector Prof. Dr. Sait Bilgiç continued his words as follows: “This document is just the starting point for our future goals regarding zero waste. We need to take the zero waste management one step further. As OMU, we have big goals in this respect and we believe that we will reach our aims through hard work.
Emphasizing that zero waste is a way of lifestyle, Rector Prof. Dr. Sait Bilgiç stated that “Once we see our employees and students adopt this lifestyle and culture, the zero waste project will be successful. Our main goal is to prevent wastage and develop behaviour for the benefit of society and we are doing our best in order to do this.”
Rector Prof. Dr. Sait Bilgiç thanked Rector's Advisor Prof. Dr. Yüksel Ardalı who is the Coordinator of the Zero Waste Project and the Director of Environmental Problems Research Center, Secretary, General Assoc. Prof. Menderes Kabadayı, Assistant Secretary General Serap Sivrioğlu Sezer, Head of Administrative and Financial Affairs Yılmaz Öztürk, Vice Head of Construction and Technical Department Barış Alkur, Vice Head of Health, Culture and Sports Department Oktay Dinç, Environmental engineer Osman Aydın, Research assistant Bilge Aydın Er, and doctoral student Özge Köksal.
The Coordinator of the Zero Waste Project Prof. Dr. Yüksel Ardalı, noting that their objective is to generalize the zero waste system, said that “This certificate puts an increasing responsibility on our shoulders”. Stating that this certificate, which will be valid until 2025, serves as a model for all the institutions in Samsun, Yüksel Ardalı underlined that they support the establishment of the zero waste system in the whole city and new projects can be carried out thanks to the awareness created regarding zero waste.
The Zero Waste Certificate is a document that must be obtained by the local administrations that establish and operate the zero waste management system and would like to certify their work. Provincial Directorate of Environment and Urbanization is authorized to issue the certificate of zero waste within the scope of the Zero Waste Regulation.
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