Introduction

The energy demands of some 2,200 households in Türkiye’s southeastern Bitlis are being met through the utilization of the waste being processed at the local solid waste site, a public officer of the association in charge of the process noted on Tuesday.

Waste Collection and Processing

Wastes disposed of in the city center and its districts are transferred to the Bitlis Solid Waste Association’s (BIKA) facility situated on the Bitlis-Güroymak Highway. According to the projections, approximately 250 tons of garbage are collected daily from the streets and neighborhoods of the provincial and district municipalities, and delivered to the facility where they are converted into useful sources of energy.

At the facility, garbage is processed to produce electricity by harnessing the methane gas generated during decomposition. This electricity is then transmitted through the energy grid to meet the power needs of the aforementioned households. Packaging wastes, which are collected by separating at the collection points and brought to the facility in separate vehicles, are also compressed at the same unit and then sent to factories for recycling.

Impact on the Community

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) Gülşen Başar, public relations officer at BIKA said, “Municipalities bring the garbage they collect here. The garbage is collected in the landfill. We generate electricity from the methane gas generated. The electricity we produce from methane gas is sufficient to meet the needs of 2,200 houses.”

Additionally, Başar also emphasized the importance of public participation in environmental initiatives and highlighted the association’s efforts to raise awareness through recycling and zero waste training provided to thousands of students in primary schools across the city. “It is very valuable for children to acquire this awareness when they are young,” she concluded.