Murat Kurum

Turkish teams collected over 1,197 cubic meters (42,271 cubic feet) of mucilage from the Sea of Marmara over the past four days, said the environment and urbanization minister on June 12.

In a statement, Murat Kurum said operations to clear the sea of the substance, also known as "sea snot," are ongoing at 77 locations, adding that the collected mucilage had been sent for disposal.

Turkey launched a massive cleanup campaign in 15 districts of seven provinces along the coast of the Marmara Sea on June 8 in an effort to eliminate the aggravating mucilage problem that has severely affected the marine ecosystem.

Turkey on June 8 will start a huge cleanup campaign to save the Sea of Marmara from excessive algae, according to the Environment and Urbanization Ministry.

Teams from Turkey's Environment and Urbanization Ministry on June 6 started work clearing the Sea of Marmara of mucilage.

Turkey will overcome the problem of mucilage formation in its waters, especially in the Sea of Marmara, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on June 5.

"We'll save our seas, especially the Sea of Marmara, from this mucilage problem," Erdoğan said at a mass opening ceremony on the occasion of World Environment Day in Istanbul.

The massive marine mucilage bloom that has been killing the undersea life of the Maramara Sea might also bring the end of the Black Sea, an expert warned while briefing the Turkish Parliament Global Climate Change Research Commission on June 3.

A team of 300 experts and some treatment facilities have been assigned to inspect the aggravating problem of sea snot invading the Marmara sea in a bid to eradicate the problem, the environment and urbanization minister has said.

The Blue Flag International Jury announced its 2021 awards, with Turkey holding on to its world ranking, housing the third highest number of Blue Flag beaches.

After Spain, which has 713 Blue Flag beaches, Turkey has 519 Blue Flag beaches, ranking third among 49 countries and coming after Greece.

Turkey on May 18 banned the import of polymer waste such as plastic bags and styrofoam cups.

A notice from the Trade Ministry published in the government's Official Gazette removed polymers from the waste products that can be imported into Turkey.

Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah and a delegation of ministers made their first visit to Turkey on April 12 since taking office last month.

As part of a two-day visit, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Dbeibeh on April 12 chaired the first meeting of the Turkey-Libya High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council in Ankara.