A fine of 1.8 million lira has been imposed on the municipality regarding the pollution in Izmir Bay.

The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change has imposed a fine of 1.8 million TL on Izmir Metropolitan Municipality following the pollution and fish deaths in Izmir Bay, according to the investigation conducted by the ministry.

According to the statement made by the ministry, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change initiated an investigation following the pollution and fish deaths in Izmir Bay. Expert teams and the Mobile Water and Wastewater Laboratory affiliated with the ministry were dispatched to the region. Samples were taken from the rivers flowing into the bay and the outlets of wastewater treatment plants to determine whether the pollution on August 22 and 23 was terrestrial. As a result of these analyses, it was determined that the Çiğli Urban Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Southwest Wastewater Treatment Plants, affiliated with Izmir Metropolitan Municipality Izmir Water and Sewerage Administration (IZSU), discharged polluted waters exceeding the standards specified in the environmental legislation into Izmir Bay. Izmir Metropolitan Municipality IZSU General Directorate was fined 1,858,610 TL under the Environmental Law No. 2872. In addition, a criminal complaint was filed against the responsible parties with the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

AMMONIA LEVELS 50 TIMES HIGHER THAN REQUIRED

In the preliminary examination of the ministry teams following the fish deaths, it was determined that the amount of ammonia from wastewater sources in Izmir Bay was 50 times higher than required. It was also found that the oxygen level, which should be 6 milligrams per liter in the bay, dropped to 1.8 and occasionally to 0. The fish died due to lack of oxygen. On September 9, the color of the seawater turned green and brown in the Aksoy neighborhood of Karşıyaka district in Izmir Bay, and a large number of dead fish were observed on the sea surface.