The "Izmit Bay East Basin Bottom Sludge Cleaning, Dewatering and Disposal Service Project" aims to protect biodiversity in the region by cleaning 8 million tons of bottom mud, which is thought to have accumulated in 100 years of pollution in an area of ​​468 hectares in the eastern part of the Gulf of Izmit.

Within the scope of the project implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change and Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, and approved by the Presidency of Strategy and Budget, the bottom sludge cleaning will be carried out starting from the eastern side of the Izmit Bay. The work is scheduled to start in about two months.

Mesut Önem, head of the Department of Environmental Protection and Control of the Metropolitan Municipality, told Anadolu Agency (AA) that studies initiated by Kocaeli Municipality on the bottom mud that has accumulated in the eastern basin of the Gulf of Izmit were conducted by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TÜBITAK), the Marmara Research Center (MAM) and Istanbul University. Likewise, studies on currents, surface water and human activities around the basin were also conducted.

Önem noted that the mud is an accumulation of urbanization and industrialization waste flowing from streams. According to the research, the polluted seabed causes odor and turbidity, especially during meteorological events such as southwesters, by reducing water circulation. It also triggers biological events and creates adverse environmental conditions for the marine ecosystem by consuming dissolved oxygen. Furthermore, research revealed that it also started the formation of mucilage in the ​Marmara Sea, adversely affecting the entire ecosystem.

Highlighting the importance of sludge management, Önem said, "We will collect the mud with a hydraulic system and kilometers of pipes that will transport the mud to land. After that, we will clean and dry it and dispose of it in mines or quarries."

Önem stated that the project consists of three phases: the process related to the construction site, of which installation has been completed, the ongoing assembly of the pipelines at sea and on land, and the ships that will work in the area, which will come to the region next month.

In collaboration with Istanbul University's Department of Aquatic Sciences, we take samples for biodiversity to follow up scientifically for five years to produce a scientific report and see how biodiversity can be boosted here," he added.