Zero Waste Certificate Application: Basic Level Checklist

Who Is This Guide For?

This guide is for businesses that want to see what needs to be in place on site before applying for a basic level Sıfır Atık Belgesi (Zero Waste Certificate). If you run a hotel, office, factory, shopping centre, school or construction site, what matters is not so much the application form as the system behind it. Below we bring together the application steps, the information to prepare and the points where businesses tend to get stuck.

What Is the Zero Waste Certificate and Which Businesses Does It Concern?

The Zero Waste Certificate is an official document showing that a business or institution has set up, and is operating, a waste management system in line with current zero waste legislation. It is issued within the system run by the Çevre, Şehircilik ve İklim Değişikliği Bakanlığı (Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change), and provincial directorates may also take part in reviewing the application.

The certificate has a tiered structure, and the first tier is the basic level. The basic level means that the core elements of the system are in place: waste is separated at source, stored temporarily under suitable conditions and handed over to authorised companies. Higher levels place additional emphasis on criteria such as waste reduction, recovery performance and continual improvement.

Under current legislation, the obligation to set up a zero waste management system covers many public bodies and private businesses. It is particularly relevant to accommodation facilities, shopping centres, industrial plants, educational and healthcare institutions, large office buildings and construction sites. We cover who is obliged and the general obligations in a separate article; this guide focuses directly on preparing the application.

How Do You Apply for the Zero Waste Certificate, Step by Step?

A zero waste certificate application proceeds by first setting up the system on site, then declaring the information through the Ministry's online system, and finally having the application assessed. If you apply before the system is in place, the gaps will surface during the assessment and the process will take longer than it needs to. Following the order below makes the job easier.

1. Appoint a zero waste officer

The first step is to formally appoint, in writing, a person or team responsible for running the system. This person monitors waste flows, keeps records, guides staff and updates the information in the online system. A clear remit and job description prevent the system from depending on one person's goodwill.

2. Identify the waste you produce

Before applying, establish which types of waste are generated, in which departments and in roughly what quantities. Alongside paper, plastic, glass, metal and organic waste, hazardous or special waste such as used batteries, electronic waste, used cooking oil, fluorescent lamps and chemical packaging should also be included. This exercise shows how many containers you need and how large a storage area you require.

3. Set up collection containers and a temporary storage area

Collection containers that follow the colour codes set out in the legislation, and that are labelled with the waste type, should be placed where the waste is generated. A temporary storage area should be created where separately collected waste is kept until handover; it should be arranged and labelled so that different waste types do not get mixed. Leak-proofing and safety measures should also be considered separately for hazardous waste.

4. Brief your staff

Containers alone are not enough; staff need to know which waste goes where. Holding a short awareness session, keeping an attendance record and placing clear signage next to the containers ensure that the basic level actually works on the ground.

5. Establish the handover chain and keep records

Separately collected waste must be handed over to the municipality or to licensed companies, and every handover must be documented. Handover documents, transport records and waste quantities should be filed regularly, and the required data entries in the online system should not be neglected.

6. Submit the application and prepare for the assessment

Once the system is in place, the application is made online and the declared information is assessed. Bear in mind that an on-site inspection may take place during the assessment; every container, area and record you declare must be demonstrable on site.

Pre-Application Checklist for the Basic Level

Before you press the submit button, you should be able to answer yes to each of the following:

• A zero waste officer has been appointed in writing and their contact details are up to date.

• The types of waste generated and the departments where they arise have been listed.

• Collection containers follow the colour codes, are labelled and are close to where the waste is generated.

• A temporary storage area has been created, waste types are kept separate and the area is labelled.

• Hazardous and special waste is collected separately from other waste.

• Staff have been briefed and attendance records are kept.

• Waste is handed over to the municipality or licensed companies, and handover documents are filed.

• Organisation details and user permissions in the online system are up to date.

• Data on waste quantities is entered regularly.

• What happens on site matches exactly the information to be declared in the application.

Common Mistakes and Points to Watch

In practice, the most important problem is a mismatch between the system on paper and the situation on site. Containers that are bought but left in a storeroom, missing labels, or a temporary storage area used for other purposes are frequently encountered examples.

Another point to watch is separately collected waste being mixed again at handover. Separate collection only makes sense if the handover chain is separate too, so it is worth checking the authorisation of whoever collects the waste and how it is handed over.

Overlooking hazardous waste is a further risk. Used batteries and cartridges that build up in offices, used cooking oil in kitchens and contaminated packaging in maintenance workshops all need to be managed separately.

Finally, it is a common situation for the system to slacken once the certificate has been obtained. If the responsible person leaves or data entries lapse, this can cause problems at later inspections, so updating any change of officer promptly is important.

Notes for Businesses in Antalya

In Antalya, zero waste preparation varies from business to business because of the distinctive waste profile of the region's sectors. In accommodation facilities, occupancy that changes over the season, organic waste from kitchens and used cooking oil stand out; preparing signage in more than one language also helps guests use the right container.

On farms, pesticide packaging and greenhouse plastics, in industrial plants, production waste, and on construction projects, waste from site offices and staff areas should be planned for separately. To set up a system suited to your facility and identify gaps before applying, we can carry out an on-site preliminary assessment as part of our waste management service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do you apply for the Zero Waste Certificate?

Applications are made through the online system used by the Çevre, Şehircilik ve İklim Değişikliği Bakanlığı (Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change) for zero waste practices. It is sensible to follow the Ministry's website for the current application channel and announcements. The system must be in place on site before you apply.

What are the requirements for a basic level Zero Waste Certificate?

At the basic level, a zero waste officer is expected to be appointed, waste is expected to be separated at source, a suitable temporary storage area should exist and waste should be handed over to authorised recipients. Briefing staff and keeping regular records are also part of the system.

Can a business obtain the Zero Waste Certificate on its own?

Yes, the business can submit the application itself. However, because correctly identifying waste types, planning containers and managing hazardous waste require technical knowledge, many businesses choose to work with an environmental consultancy during this process.

What needs to be done after the certificate is issued?

The certificate is only meaningful as long as the system is maintained. Separate collection, handover records and data entries in the online system should continue regularly, and at inspections you should be able to show that practice on site matches what was declared.

Let's Prepare Your Application Together

If you would like to find out whether your business is ready for a zero waste certificate application, get in touch with us; we will assess the situation on site together and close the gaps step by step.

Written by Okan Nas, Environmental Engineer, Asel Çevre Danışmanlık.