A garbage collection event, which has become a tradition, was held on the beach of the Kum Mahallesi of Mersin. The event, which was held near the Taşucu neighborhood, where Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant (NGS) employees also live, was held in the protected natural area of the Göksu River Delta, where sea turtles nest and are listed in the Red Book.
More than 100 people working in the Akkuyu NPP Project attended the event organized with the support of AKKUYU NÜKLEER A.
It took several hours to clear the garbage on the beach. The curators of the turtle monitoring project then briefed the volunteers on the features of nesting and the importance of a clean area for sea turtles. The organizers of the event made a large sand turtle sculpture on the beach. The statue, which aroused great interest among local residents and vacationers, also contributed to the increase in the number of volunteers participating in garbage collection.
Project coordinator Dr. Mustafa Korkmaz told reporters that they organized the event to explain the importance of the Göksu Delta. Stating that they continue to work in the region, Korkmaz said, “The Göksu Delta is one of our unique coastal wetlands and provides very important services for our natural existence and biological diversity. We held an environmental cleaning event in the living area of sea turtles, together with Akkuyu NPP employees and our project team members. In addition, at the event, we told the participants both the importance of the delta and the things to be considered in the sea turtle breeding beaches, and we collected some of the waste we produce as humans.”
AKKUYU NUCLEAR INC. Anastasia Zoteeva, General Manager, said: “Broad development principles such as high social standards, the highest reliability and safety, environmental responsibility are the basis of the development of the nuclear industry. Now, during the construction phase of a nuclear power plant, we are interested in our region, and in the next ten years we are evaluating how we can benefit this unique region. Traditionally supporting environmental initiatives, organizing such events is an important part of our business. Thank you to the team of scientists and volunteers who care and help protect the sea turtle population. Our employees spend their personal time and energy on beach cleaning, which has a special meaning. Together we can protect the beauty of nature and biodiversity for future generations.
Ecological campaigns to protect the habitats of sea turtles are organized to raise awareness of the problems faced by sea turtles among foreign experts, local people and tourists who come to the region to work at the Akkuyu NPP site, which is under construction.
Dina Levitskaya, the main expert of the safety culture group of AKKUYU NÜKLEER A.Ş., said, “I came to the beach today to collect garbage with my son. She really wanted to attend the event and see the sea turtles. Of course there is a lot of garbage, but we tried to collect as much as we could. We collected several bags of garbage. Some of the vacationers on the beach encouraged us, and some even helped. “The more we organize such campaigns and regularly clean up the litter on the beach, the more involved everyone around us, our colleagues, vacationers, local residents, will be involved.”
Kum Mahallesi resident Azmi Bekler said, “We need such events very much, I would like to thank those who think about keeping the beach clean and those who implemented this project. We, as locals, hope that such events will be regular. I have been living here for a long time and many of my neighbors are working on the Akkuyu NPP project. There are many Russians among them who did not come here for vacation, they came with their families and will stay here for a long time. It's nice to see how they take the initiative and collect the garbage with their own hands. I am sure this will set an example for many people living here.”
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