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Methane mega‑leaks in Turkey

newsOct 5, 202613458

A Guardian investigation found the Silivri municipal landfill outside Istanbul is emitting methane at an average rate of 7.4 tonnes an hour, producing a plume visible from space. University of California, Los Angeles researchers identified Silivri as Turkey’s worst super-emitting waste site and said its single leak has the same short-term warming impact as 1.5 million gas-guzzling SUVs running their engines. The investigation mapped additional super-emitting landfills across Turkey from İzmir to Ankara to Antalya, which UCLA researchers described as having "mind bogglingly large" leaks. Villagers in Yolçatı report a recurring, suffocating smell and said fear of retaliation has stopped many from complaining; staff from Istanbul’s waste operator İstaç appeared surprised when shown satellite images of the leak. The revelations come as Turkey prepares to host Cop31 in November and has placed methane cuts at the top of its summit agenda, with first lady Emine Erdoğan a prominent campaigner for zero waste and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan saying waste management is a priority. The finding creates a direct challenge to Turkish claims about leadership on methane reduction and places landfill emissions under likely international scrutiny ahead of Cop31.

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