STH Harem Beach Cleaning, Rehabilitation and Conservation Project (Turkey)
Sualtı Temizlik ve Bilinçlendirme Hareketi Derneği-STH (abbreviation for Underwater Purification & Awareness Activity in Turkish) Harem Beach Cleaning, Rehabilitation and Conservation Project was initiated by a group of volunteer divers in 2006. The aim of the project is to remove marine litter from the coast of Harem, to urge authorities to arrange legislations for the issue, and to protect marine life.
The underwater cleaning team dive on the weekends in certain months of the year to extract marine litter from the sea floor. An underwater filming team accompanies the divers to document their activities. The inventory is made at the end of diving and the collected litter is exhibited at the operation area to raise public awareness.
Since the beginning of the project periodical check dives have been made at intervals of six months and the quantity of marine litter has been monitored.
Up to now about 15000 pieces of solid waste have been removed from the area with this project and the coast of 400m in the center of Istanbul has become 90% marine litter free.
Facts
| Place / Location | Turkey |
|---|---|
| Commencement Date | 2006 |
| Duration | Ongoing |
| Theme | Mitigation, Awareness (Cross-cutting) |
| Type of Initiative | Campaign, Practice/ Activity/ Action, Video on sea bottom cleaning |
| Initiated by | Sualtı Temizlik ve Bilinçlendirme Hareketi Derneği-STH (abbreviation for Underwater Purification & Awareness Activity in Turkish, a NGO) |
| Involved Stakeholders |
Istanbul Environmental Management of Industry and Trade CO., Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and volunteer divers. |
| Funding/Financial Support | No financial support. |
| Success Rate |
Very Successful Because the area has become 90% free of marine litter, it has been covered by mass media several times. |
| Case Study prepared by |
Hakan Tiryaki- Chief of Project Team (STH) http://sth.org.tr/node/146 |
| Submitted by |
TUDAV Ayaka Amaha Ozturk, Songül YAVUZ |
Available documentation and further information
