Effects of Zero Waste Management System on waste management process: The example of Balıkesir province

Zero waste understanding, the beginning of which is considered to be the year 2000, is the newest wave of innovation in waste management. Governments produce and implement policies in accordance with this understanding. Currently, there are countries that have proven their implementation success with high recycling and low waste storage rates and these countries are exemplary in waste management. In line with its zero waste policy, Turkey has taken action with the Zero Waste Project, which was launched in 2017 and became legal through the Zero Waste Regulation in 2019. In accordance with the objectives set out within the scope of the regulation, there is a rapid transition to a zero waste management system, especially for public institutions in all of Turkey. The effects of the transition to a zero waste management system on the process in local administrations that play an active role in waste management activities are curious. In this context, the determination of the effects of zero waste management system on the waste management process has been determined as the problem of the research. In the study, the implementation process of the zero waste policy in Turkey was analyzed. In this thesis, where a qualitative research method is used, a case study was selected as a research pattern and the research was limited to Balıkesir province because it required in-depth study. The data was obtained by semi-structured interview method. The collected data was analyzed with the help of MAXQDA 2022 (demo version) program. The application and process of the Zero Waste Management Waste Management System lead to an increases in cost for the municipalities suffering from a lack of financial resources. As a result of this, the amount waste on fields appreciated which poses a problem for municipalities. This in turn increased the number of informal collectors, the increase in the responsibility of municipalities, educational studies, and media to increase the level of people's consciousness and awareness. The awareness level of people -particularly about the separation of waste at source- has been determined as insufficient, which is a significant obstacle to obtaining efficiency from the system. Finally, as a result of the research conducted, it was observed that the decisions taken at the center in accordance with the goals of the zero waste policy in Turkey could not be implemented effectively at the local level and there was a problem of policy integration. Keywords: Waste, Waste Management, Zero Waste, Zero Waste Management System, Balıkesir Province