The Minister for Tourism and Environment Fikri Ataoğlu on Thursday paid a visit to the AKSA power plant in Kalecik, İskele.

Speaking during the visit, Ataoğlu announced the launch of work for the disposal of the fuel oil collected from a spill eight years ago in Kalecik that has been kept in barrels since then.

According to information released by the Tourism and Environment Ministry, Ataoğlu pointed to the importance of establishing a hazardous waste incineration facility that will be under the supervision of the Environmental Protection Department.

He also said that AKSA has signed a protocol with a firm in order to dispose of the fuel oil waste that poses an environmental risk.

Noting that as of the beginning of the week, the fuel oil residues will be safely transported to the Gürdağ Hazardous Waste Disposal Facility, Ataoğlu said that steps were also being taken so that other hazardous materials can also be disposed of.

Stating that with these steps, fuel-oil waste, which has become a problem for years, will be cleaned from the country, Ataoğlu emphasized that as the Ministry, they attached great importance to the issue of hazardous wastes.