Response from İZBAŞ to Allegations of Polluting Gediz River

Gürsel Bahçıvancılar, the General Manager of İZBAŞ İzmir Free Zone Founding and Operating Company, responded in detail to the claims that the treatment plant of the İzmir Free Zone, one of the most important production centers in İzmir, was polluting the Gediz River.

Bahçıvancılar, who emphasized that İZBAŞ has been an active production center for 40 years since 1984 and has added value to the Turkish economy and exports through its free zone structure since 1997, pointed out that the treatment plant meets the highest environmental standards required by relevant regulations.

Bahçıvancılar stated that the claim circulating in some press and media outlets regarding "İZBAŞ's treatment plant polluting the Gediz River" is unjust and unfounded. He further explained, "Water samples from the Treatment Plant's Sampling Point are taken periodically throughout the year by the relevant units of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change and accredited laboratories authorized by the Ministry. The sample report includes the date, day, time, and coordinates of the sample collection, and the results are shared with both the relevant public authorities and us."

He informed that all the results from the analyses have been well below the reference values set by the legislation and emphasized that this information has been transparently shared with all institutions that have requested it, including press and media organizations.

İZBAŞ General Manager Gürsel Bahçıvancılar made the following evaluations:

“Our region, which sees production activities with respect to humans, the environment, and nature at its core, treats all domestic and industrial wastewater from the factories and businesses operating within our zone with our treatment plant that complies with all environmental standards; it is then discharged into the designated discharge channel in accordance with the permissions granted by public institutions. We have transparently shared these results with everyone who has requested them up until now, and we are ready to share this information dating back over the years. Bahçıvancılar continued, “The water discharged from İZBAŞ Treatment Plant is released into the discharge channel in accordance with the permissions of all relevant public institutions, especially the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change. Wastewater discharges from both domestic and industrial treatments along the channel have also been conducted for years. The monitoring of such cases and the imposition of penalties on those found non-compliant fall under the authority of the institutions responsible for inspections. İZBAŞ, as a stakeholder of the Ministry of Commerce, is responsible for operating its treatment plant in compliance with the highest national and international environmental standards, and discharging the treated water in accordance with the permissions granted by public authorities and at the specified points. None of the analysis results periodically shared with the press organizations have been taken from İZBAŞ's treatment plant. We find it incorrect and unjust to present a sample that was not taken from our Sampling Point as if it were from İZBAŞ, and we want to inform the public that we will pursue legal action against all individuals and institutions who unfairly put our region under suspicion in this regard.”