Nature Massacre: Thousands Of Tons Of Waste In Aegean Waters

- Thousands of tons of solid and liquid waste having hoarded at regulators in Söke lowland in Aydın, have flowed into waters of Aegean Sea and the Natural Park in Bafa Lake. This “massacre against nature” has also raised social, economic and health concerns in the region.

The wastes having grown in the 584-kilometer-long Greater Menderes River, collected through Afyonkarahisar, Uşak, Denizli and Aydın provinces had accumulated in regulator covers, and there have been no interventions despite the warnings of inhabitants and associations.

“Officials failed to intervene despite warnings”

Accordingly, executives of the Association of Nature Lovers and the Protection of Ecosystems (EKODOSD) in cooperation with Söke Irrigation Union have spotted the over-accumulation of wastes, then have referred to the Governorate of Aydın, State Hydraulic Works and Provincial Directorate of Environment and Urbanization.

As the officials have not taken the warnings in consideration, thousands of tons of wastes have flowed into the natural beauties of the Aegean.

President of the EKODOSD Bahattin Sürücü urged that the Greater Menderes River, giving the life line support to the natural livings in natural parks, lakes has been facing pollution stemming from humans.

Sürücü added the environmental pollution has also affected the economic, ecological and social life in the region.

The mentality of “water sweeps away”

According to the inspections of the Association, the wastes ranged from housewares to plastic bottles, animal carcass to diapers, and agricultural pesticide containers to cans.

Having defined the most credible witnesses of environmental pollution as the fishermen in Kafa region, Sürücü slammed the mentality of "water sweeps away" has encouraged people to throw their garbage in the river, particularly in crowded places where people hold picnics, gathering and weddings.

The regulator covers will be open until the next irrigation season, thus the wastes will not be noticed. However, for this reason, the wasters will continue to carry the wastes trough Greater Menderes delta to the Aegean Sea.

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