Municipal Solid Waste in Turkey and Its Relationship with the Population

The population of Turkey has increased rapidly in parallel with the rise in technology and industrialization. The increasing population of the country has triggered urbanization, and environmental problems have drawn attention. One of the issues resulting from urbanization is municipal solid waste (MSW). Every object we use in our daily life is transformed into solid waste when its economic life has ended. The processes from the storage of these wastes to their disposal, often referred to as MSW management, come under the municipalities' authority and responsibility. MSW must be processed with the most negligible environmental impact. This study aimed to investigate MSW management systems in Turkey, including the quantity, composition, and disposal methods of MSW generated and populations served by MSW, MSW per capita per day. Results from the study showed that the mean MSW generated in Turkey was 26.74 Mton/yr and increased in the following order by region; Eastern Anatolia < South East Anatolia < Black Sea < Mediterranean < Aegean < Central Anatolia < Marmara. This order/ranking was in line with the regions' population. The population explained 84 to 95% of the variation in MSW. Results from the study could be used in MSW management.