Metropolitan Municipalities are assigned duties and responsibilities, such as: the
protection of the environment, agricultural lands and water basins, in line with the
principle of sustainable development; forestation; the determination of areas for the
storage of excavations, debris, sand and gravels and for the sale and storage of
wood and coal, as well as taking necessary measures to prevent air pollution in the
transportation of these goods; planning the metropolitan municipality solid waste
management and, having completed this plan, delivering services related to the
revaluation, storage and disposal of solid waste and excavations, excluding the
collection solid waste at source, and carrying it to the transfer station; establishing
and operating facilities for this purpose, as well as having them established and
operated; carrying out services related to industrial and medical waste; establishing
and operating facilities for this purpose, as well as having them established and
operated; collecting or arranging the collection of waste from naval vessels; treating
it; and making necessary arrangements related to this.
On the other hand, Article 4/3 of the Law on Local Administration Units
(No. 5355), indicates the power of the Council of Ministers with regard to the
environment when it states:
In case projects related to water, waste water, solid waste and similar infrastructure services
and protection of environment and ecologic balance are necessitated; the Council of
Ministers can make a decision regarding affiliation of the relevant local administrations to a
unit established for this purpose. Leaving the units mentioned in this paragraph depends on
the permission by the Council of Ministers.
As is clear, a conflict of authority has been created among local management
units themselves and it has not been clarified who would exercise which authority
in which way.
From the 1930s onwards, waste management has been the subject of a number of
legal arrangements starting in Turkey. Since then, the number of institutions
assuming roles in the environmental field has increased (Turkish Court of
Accounts, 2007: 1). However, the fields of authority and responsibility of the
existing institutions were not changed when the new ones were established. As a
consequence, this situation has resulted in overlapping powers. Moreover, the lack
of effective coordination and cooperation among relevant institutions has weakened
the operability of the system. With the effects of such factors as weak financial
support and inadequate knowledge and equipment, it has not been possible to
establish a sound waste management system up until now (Turkish Court of
Accounts, 2007: 1).
The functions related to waste management constitute the most comprehensive
responsibility area of municipalities with regard to the environment. Waste management is a type of management covering domestic, medical, hazardous and
non-hazardous waste minimization, source separation, interim storage, the establishment of transfer stations where necessary, waste handling and transport, recycling, disposal, and operating and closing waste recycling and treatment facilities,
as well as the processes of maintenance, monitoring and control after closure. As
the fundamental implementing institutions, the financial, institutional and technical
78
S. S. Gökalp Alıca
protection of the environment, agricultural lands and water basins, in line with the
principle of sustainable development; forestation; the determination of areas for the
storage of excavations, debris, sand and gravels and for the sale and storage of
wood and coal, as well as taking necessary measures to prevent air pollution in the
transportation of these goods; planning the metropolitan municipality solid waste
management and, having completed this plan, delivering services related to the
revaluation, storage and disposal of solid waste and excavations, excluding the
collection solid waste at source, and carrying it to the transfer station; establishing
and operating facilities for this purpose, as well as having them established and
operated; carrying out services related to industrial and medical waste; establishing
and operating facilities for this purpose, as well as having them established and
operated; collecting or arranging the collection of waste from naval vessels; treating
it; and making necessary arrangements related to this.
On the other hand, Article 4/3 of the Law on Local Administration Units
(No. 5355), indicates the power of the Council of Ministers with regard to the
environment when it states:
In case projects related to water, waste water, solid waste and similar infrastructure services
and protection of environment and ecologic balance are necessitated; the Council of
Ministers can make a decision regarding affiliation of the relevant local administrations to a
unit established for this purpose. Leaving the units mentioned in this paragraph depends on
the permission by the Council of Ministers.
As is clear, a conflict of authority has been created among local management
units themselves and it has not been clarified who would exercise which authority
in which way.
From the 1930s onwards, waste management has been the subject of a number of
legal arrangements starting in Turkey. Since then, the number of institutions
assuming roles in the environmental field has increased (Turkish Court of
Accounts, 2007: 1). However, the fields of authority and responsibility of the
existing institutions were not changed when the new ones were established. As a
consequence, this situation has resulted in overlapping powers. Moreover, the lack
of effective coordination and cooperation among relevant institutions has weakened
the operability of the system. With the effects of such factors as weak financial
support and inadequate knowledge and equipment, it has not been possible to
establish a sound waste management system up until now (Turkish Court of
Accounts, 2007: 1).
The functions related to waste management constitute the most comprehensive
responsibility area of municipalities with regard to the environment. Waste management is a type of management covering domestic, medical, hazardous and
non-hazardous waste minimization, source separation, interim storage, the establishment of transfer stations where necessary, waste handling and transport, recycling, disposal, and operating and closing waste recycling and treatment facilities,
as well as the processes of maintenance, monitoring and control after closure. As
the fundamental implementing institutions, the financial, institutional and technical
78
S. S. Gökalp Alıca