In order to fulfill our country’s obligations under the Stockholm Convention, the “Enhancing Environmental Performance in Expanded and Extruded Polystyrene Foam Industries in Turkey” Project is financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to support the replacement of HBCD with environmentally friendly alternatives in the EPS and XPS foam industries. It is implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and carried out by the General Directorate of Environmental Management of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change.

The aim of the project is to phase out and eliminate the use of the HBCD chemical banned under the Stockholm Convention and insulation foams containing HBCD, in line with our obligations under the Stockholm Convention, to which our country is a party, and to prevent the import and export of the chemical in question.

The aim of the project is to strengthen the legislation for the retirement of HBCD, develop capacity, increase stakeholder awareness and verify environmentally friendly alternatives, and eliminate the use of HBCD in the EPS and XPS sectors in Turkey.

Within the scope of the Project in question, the “Project Introduction and Sector Evaluation Meeting” was held in cooperation with EPSDER and İZODER in Trabzon Province on 29.11.2023, and the meeting was attended by representatives of the companies operating in the EPS and XPS sector in Turkey, which are beneficiaries of the Project.

The meeting started with the opening speeches of EPSDER Chairman of the Board of Directors Mr. Erdem ATEŞ, İZODER Secretary General Mr. Timur DİZ and Head of Chemicals Management Department Mr. Nihat YAMAN.

At the meeting attended by Trabzon Environment and Urbanization Provincial Director Mr. Uğur KORKMAZ and Trabzon Environment and Urbanization Deputy Provincial Director Mr. Bülent SAĞIR, the project was completed and planned to be realized as of the date within the scope of the “Enhancing Environmental Performance in Expanded and Extruded Polystyrene Foam Industries in Turkey” Project. Technical assistance activities and workshop organizations that provide support for the needs of the companies participating in the Project as beneficiaries were introduced and the questions submitted by the representatives of the beneficiary companies within the scope of the Project were answered and consultations were held in line with the needs, expectations and feedback of the companies.