The inauguration ceremony of the "Waste Battery Recovery Facility", developed in cooperation with TÜBİTAK Marmara Research Center (MAM) Chemical Technology Institute and the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization and operated by Exitcom Recycling, was held on May 12, 2016 in Kartepe, Kocaeli.
The opening ceremony was attended by Fikri Işık, Minister of Science, Industry and Technology, Hasan Basri Güzeloğlu, Governor of Kocaeli, Prof. Dr. Mehmet Çelik, Vice President of TÜBİTAK, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bahadır Tunaboylu, President of TÜBİTAK MAM, Hüseyin Üzülmez, Mayor of Kartepe Municipality, Adnan Köşker, Mayor of Gebze Municipality, Gökhan Şentürk, Head of Special Wastes Department of the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, Ahmet Varır, Head of Waste Management Department, Ayhan Dumrul, District Governor of Kartepe, Murat Ilgar, General Manager of Exitcom and many guests.
Bilim, Sanayi ve Teknoloji Bakanı Fikri Işık yaptığı açılış konuşmasında, tüm laboratuvar, yazılım ve altyapı çalışmaları, fabrika ve prototip üretimi %100 yerli olarak tamamlanan tesisin, tek vardiyada, yılda 300 ton atık pil işleme kapasitesine sahip olduğunu belirterek, bilimi, teknolojiyi, çevreyi, kalkınmayı, üretimi ve enerji tasarrufunu aynı anda sunduğunu ifade etti.
Minister Işık said, "We will inaugurate a single-shift facility with a waste processing capacity of 300 tons. Turkey should produce locally whatever it can produce on a scale. It is also very important that our production is innovative and competitive. We attach great importance to R&D and innovation as an integral part of our production. While doing these, we care about green production. A production that excludes people and nature while producing cannot be our understanding. Our production will be respectful to people and will not pollute our air, water and soil. We expect our municipalities to carry out a special study on waste battery collection."
"Please Don't Throw Batteries Indiscriminately"
Stating that the Waste Battery Recovery Facility is a very good example for TÜBİTAK, Minister Işık said, "TÜBİTAK took part in the complete design, engineering and prototype production of this facility. The client organization is the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. There is science here, there is one of the best technologies used in the world, and there is a production here to dispose of used batteries and extract the precious metals in them. When they are not produced here, the damage to the environment is prevented and the precious metals obtained here are reused in the industry."
"A Big Win"
TÜBİTAK MAM President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bahadır Tunaboylu said, "This is a TÜBİTAK KAMAG supported project. The energy storage sector is just developing in Turkey. This is a pioneering project for Turkey. Many countries are making significant progress in these recycling efforts. Disposal of waste batteries without harming human health will be a great gain for our country."
After the speeches, the opening ribbon of the facility was cut, the facility was visited and detailed information was received.
