Page 198 - 7. State Of Environment Report Of Türkiye

However, in order to reduce the point source pollution in the Marmara Sea, “Circular on Restricti-
on in Discharge Standards within the Scope of Marmara Sea Action Plan” dated 22/06/2021 and
numbered 2021/13 was published by the MoEUCC. With the Circular, in the Marmara Sea Hydro-
logical Basin, including the Straits and Susurluk Basin, and in all of the provinces of Istanbul, Bursa
and Kocaeli, for industrial and domestic wastewater treatment plants, restrictions up to 20% in
urban wastewater and up to 50% in industrial wastewater were made by regulating a new dis-
charge standard for each sector in the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) parameter, which is an
indicator of pollution and which is included in the annex of the By-law on Water Pollution Cont-
rol and the By-law on Urban Wastewater Treatment. In addition, deadlines for compliance with
the conditions amended by the Circular were determined and work deadline plans were taken.
On the other hand, within the scope of the action plan, studies continued to be carried out in
order to determine the point and diffuse pollution, which are the sources of pollution in the
Marmara Sea.

C.5.3.2. Marmara Integrated Strategic Plan (2021-2024)
Within the framework of the Marmara Sea Action Plan signed on 06 June 2021, the Marmara Sea
Integrated Strategic Plan for the Period 2021-2024 was approved and entered into force at the
3 Meeting of the Marmara Sea Action Plan Coordination Board held on 22/10/2021 in order to
rd
determine and implement policies and strategies to achieve good environmental status in the
Marmara Sea Basin.

Efforts to prevent point and diffuse pollution sources in the Marmara Sea Basin and to achieve
Marmara with good environmental status are carried out within the framework of 9 strategic
objectives, 18 objectives belonging to these objectives and 134 sub-activities under 44 main
activities belonging to these objectives in the Marmara Sea Integrated Strategic Plan. Respon-
sible and related institutions have been determined for all activities and sub-activities and job
descriptions have been made. The indicators determined for these sub-activities are monitored
in 6-month periods and progress is monitored through annual reporting. According to the 2
nd
period reporting of 2023, 106 of 134 sub-activities have been completed and work on 28 of them
is ongoing.
In addition, a series of mission meetings were held with the World Bank within the scope of
the studies carried out by the MoEUCC for finding the financing source for the investments that
need to be made for the conversion of wastewater treatment plants to advanced treatment,
capacity increases and/or revisions in wastewater treatment plants in the Marmara Sea Basin
but no progress has been made. Information on the facilities for which finance can be used was
obtained from wastewater infrastructure administrations and a prioritisation study was carried
out.
Within the scope of combating mucilage, Marmara Sea and Islands were declared as Special
Environmental Protection Area with the Presidential Decree dated 04/11 /2021 and numbered
4758.
In order to determine the biological diversity of the region, to classify and map endemic, rare,
threatened and endangered species and habitats, to reveal the threats and data on the basis of
protection, to provide protection and use principles and management, “Land-Coastal and Ma-
rine Biological Diversity Research Project in the Marmara Sea and Islands Special Environmental
Protection Area” was initiated as of 2023. The project will last approximately 2 years and will be
completed by the end of 2024.

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