We Are Ahead of America in Recycling (Milliyet)

The RETEK company, which has been the only address for plastic and paper recycling in Nazilli for 18 years, processes 6 truckloads of waste paper daily for recycling. With 2,500 tons of paper recycled monthly, the factory is also proud to be the only company in Turkey engaged in plastic recycling.

Chairman of the Board of RETEK Cellulose Recycling Industry Trade Inc., Senior Mechanical Engineer Polat Güven, stated that the factory, established on an area of 10,000 square meters, employs 45 people, while nearly 500 people in the region are provided with job opportunities in the paper and plastic collection sector thanks to the factory, leading to significant developments in the scrap industry. Emphasizing that they are an expert organization in recycling, Polat Güven said that Turkey is 10 years ahead of France and 5 years ahead of the United States in recycling. Güven also mentioned that a fire broke out in the factory in 2009, and until then they ranked second in the district’s tax record after UGUR Cooling; “We pay nearly 3 million TL in VAT annually,” he said.

NO ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

Explaining that many machines in the factory run on heat and electric energy, Güven stated that, thanks to the Italian consultant employed in the workplace, they closely follow new technologies and apply the innovations used in Europe in the factory as well. He said: “Here we use coal with a very low sulfur content for heat energy, and emission measurements are carried out every 6 months by the provincial environmental directorate, meaning we do not harm the environment in any way. A few months ago, due to a malfunction in our chimney system, we informed the environmental authority and shut down our system. Human health is also very important for us, which is why we purchased a fully automatic boiler system that eliminates risks from human error. With this massive investment of 600,000 TL, no environmental pollution will occur, and we are planning even larger investments in the future.”

STUDENTS ALSO VISIT

Stating that the company has extensive knowledge in recycling, Güven explained that many schools in the region send their students to the factory to shed light on recycling education, and that the students are informed about recycling through tours of the facility.

CRITICIZED LACK OF INTEREST

Güven, reminding that there are 20–25 paper recycling factories in Turkey, noted that when looking at paper and plastic recycling together, RETEK is the only such factory in the country, and he expressed criticism against the lack of attention from authorities. Stating that the 10,000-square-meter facility is insufficient for them, Polat Güven said that they want to move to the Organized Industrial Zone but cannot find available land. He added: “We want to expand further and create more jobs. Despite being the only factory of its kind in Turkey, until today no official has ever knocked on our door to ask what we are doing here, what we are producing, and to listen to our problems, concerns, and requests. They are always focused on finding investors from outside, but they never thought of supporting the investors in this region and helping them grow further. I find this very concerning.”