Konyaalti Beach is one of Antalya’s most popular public coastal areas, with significant seasonal spikes in visitor numbers driven by tourism and local recreation. High visitor numbers, beach kiosks, and the consumption of takeout food increase the presence of single-use plastic items (bottles, cups, food packaging, bags) and micro-litter (caps, fragments, cigarette butts containing plastic filters). Even where beach sweeping and trash can emptying are carried out regularly, lightweight plastics can be carried out to sea by the wind, surface runoff, and wave action.
This project aims to reduce plastic waste on Konyaalti Beach (Antalya, Türkiye) by integrating beach plastic waste collection into the city’s official waste management system, in collaboration with the Konyaalti City Hall. It primarily aims to support waste pickers who already collect recyclable materials informally, by improving safety and traceability while ensuring that plastics are routed through authorized channels.
From June 2026 to November 2027, the Yeryüzü Foundation will establish a partnership with the Konyaalti Municipality to train waste collectors, improve the collection and recycling of plastics on beaches, and raise awareness among beachgoers about waste reduction and source separation.
