Who Needs Environmental Consultancy in Antalya? A Guide
Who is environmental consultancy mandatory for, and who is this guide for?
Under current legislation, environmental consultancy is mandatory for businesses whose activities require an environmental permit or licence, or which have a high potential to affect the environment. This article is written for owners and managers in Antalya who run a hotel, a production facility, an agricultural processing plant, a workshop or a construction-related facility, and who are asking: "Does our business fall within this scope, and if so, what do we need to do?"
Below you will find, in plain language, what the obligation is based on, how the process works, which documents need to be prepared, and the mistakes most often seen in practice.
What is environmental consultancy, and which businesses does it concern?
Environmental consultancy is an ongoing service that identifies a business's obligations under environmental legislation, keeps track of them and ensures they are fulfilled. Under the regulations of the Çevre, Şehircilik ve İklim Değişikliği Bakanlığı (Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change), facilities within scope must either set up an environmental management unit, employ an environmental officer, or engage an environmental consultancy firm authorised by the Ministry.
Which facilities fall within this scope is determined by the activity lists in the environmental permit and licence legislation and by the facility's capacity. In general, the following businesses are closely concerned:
Production facilities with flue gas emissions, wastewater discharge or noise sources
Accommodation facilities with boiler rooms, treatment plants and large kitchens
Workshops, service centres and small manufacturers that generate hazardous waste
Agro-industrial facilities such as olive oil production and fruit and vegetable processing and packing
Construction-related facilities such as ready-mixed concrete, asphalt and crushing-screening plants
Businesses not on this list also come into contact with environmental legislation through waste management, zero waste and reporting obligations. That is why the question "Is it mandatory?" has to be answered separately for each business, based on its activities and capacity.
How does the environmental consultancy process work?
The environmental consultancy process begins with a review of the business's current situation and continues with regular monitoring, reporting and notifications. It is not a one-off paperwork exercise but a compliance effort that lasts for as long as the business is operating.
1. Preliminary assessment and site visit
The consultant visits the business on site and examines its production or service processes, the raw materials used, the fuel type, stacks and discharge points, and waste storage areas. Existing permits, previous correspondence and submitted declarations are also reviewed at this stage.
2. Identifying obligations
The review establishes which legislation the business falls under. It becomes clear whether an environmental permit or licence is required, which measurements need to be carried out, and which waste and reporting obligations apply; every subsequent step builds on this assessment.
3. Gaps and action plan
The gaps identified are ranked by priority and turned into a practical action plan. Tasks such as arranging the temporary waste storage area, labelling waste, signing contracts with licensed companies or commissioning measurements are included in this plan.
4. Preparing permit and application files
Where necessary, the environmental permit or licence application file is prepared and the process is followed through the Ministry's environmental information system, UÇBS (National Environmental Information System). Any additional information and documents requested during the application are completed on time.
5. Ongoing monitoring, training and reporting
Throughout the business's operation, measurements, internal audits, waste declarations and other notifications are tracked against a schedule. Employees are trained on waste separation and environmental rules, so that written procedures are also applied in practice.
Documents and information to prepare
For environmental consultancy work to get off to a sound start, the business needs to have its core documents and operational information ready. The checklist below summarises the information most often requested at the first meeting:
Tax certificate, trade registry record and authorised signatures list
Business opening and operating licence
Title deed or lease agreement, and building occupancy permit
EIA (ÇED) decision, if any
Existing environmental permit, licence or temporary operating certificate
Production capacity, product and raw material list
Fuel type, boiler and generator information
Wastewater sources and discharge point (sewer, treatment plant or receiving environment)
Types of waste generated and contracts with licensed waste receivers
Previous emission, noise or wastewater measurement reports
Company registration and authorised user details in UÇBS
Not all of these documents need to be ready from day one; missing items are identified during the preliminary assessment and added to the action plan.
Common mistakes and points to watch
In practice, many problems stem from treating environmental obligations as a one-off task. Dropping follow-up once a permit has been obtained can lead to gaps piling up and surfacing at the next inspection.
Other situations frequently encountered include:
Not reassessing the situation under environmental legislation when capacity is increased or a new machine or production line is added
Handing waste to unlicensed parties or not keeping delivery records in order
Storing hazardous and non-hazardous waste together in the same area without labels
Leaving declarations and notifications until the last day, or re-entering the previous period's data without checking it
Leaving system user authorisation in the name of an employee who has left the company
Not keeping measurement reports, contracts and correspondence archived in one place
Preparing written procedures without explaining them to employees
Another point to check is whether the firm providing the service holds an authorisation certificate from the Ministry. Work carried out with a person or firm without such a certificate may not satisfy the legal obligation.
Notes for businesses in Antalya
Because tourism, agriculture and industry are closely intertwined in Antalya, environmental consultancy meets different needs in each sector. Proximity to the coastline, water resources and protected areas means that the environmental impact of some businesses has to be monitored more carefully.
In accommodation facilities, wastewater management, kitchen waste, packaging waste and zero waste practices come to the fore. For seasonal facilities, completing measurements and document checks before the season opens makes things easier.
On the agro-industrial side, packing facilities, cold storage warehouses, and olive oil and fruit and vegetable processing plants require regular monitoring of wastewater, organic waste and packaging. In production facilities in organised industrial zones and in construction-related facilities such as ready-mixed concrete and crushing-screening plants, emissions, dust and noise become the main concerns.
To understand which permit or licence your business needs, see our article What Is an Environmental Permit and Licence? An Application Guide for Businesses; for the option of employing an in-house officer, see Which Businesses Are Required to Employ an Environmental Officer? You can find a detailed description of how we manage these processes on our environmental consultancy service page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a small business required to use environmental consultancy?
The requirement depends not on the size of the business but on the type of activity and its capacity. A small business that does not fall within the scope of environmental permits or licences may not be obliged to receive an ongoing service from an authorised firm. Even so, since obligations such as waste management and declarations may still apply, it is worth having the situation assessed once by an expert.
What is the difference between employing an environmental officer and using a consultancy firm?
Both are different ways of meeting the same obligation. An environmental officer is a certified person employed within the business itself, whereas an authorised consultancy firm provides the service externally, under contract and as a team. Which option suits a business depends on its size, workload and preference.
How can I tell whether an environmental consultancy firm is authorised?
Authorised firms receive an authorisation certificate from the Çevre, Şehircilik ve İklim Değişikliği Bakanlığı (Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change). The most practical approach is to ask to see this certificate before signing a contract, and to ask about its validity and scope.
How long does environmental consultancy last?
Environmental consultancy is a service that continues for as long as the business is operating. The initial stage, covering the preliminary assessment and closing the gaps, involves more intensive work. After that, regular monitoring continues in line with the measurement, declaration and inspection schedule.
Contact Us
If you would like to clarify which obligations your business is subject to under environmental legislation, you can get in touch with the Asel Çevre Danışmanlık team to arrange a preliminary assessment meeting.
Written by Selin Sevinç, Environmental Engineer (MSc), Asel Çevre Danışmanlık.
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