28.12.2025 17:17
The black wastewater from olive oil factories and geothermal operations has once again turned the Büyük Menderes, the largest river in Western Anatolia, black. As the pollution reached Lake Bafa, which is fed by the river, thousands of fish began to surface and struggle for survival. It is reported that the pollution poses a serious threat to the biodiversity in the region.
One of the longest rivers in Western Anatolia, the 584-kilometer-long Büyük Menderes River has turned black again due to pollution. Lake Bafa, located on the border of Muğla and Aydın and fed by the river, is also directly affected by this pollution. The increasing pollution during certain periods of the year leads to fish deaths and negatively impacts the local tradespeople who rely on fishing for their livelihood.
"BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IS UNDER THREAT"
Bahattin Sürücü, President of the Ecosystem Protection and Nature Lovers Association (EKODOSD), emphasized that the relevant authorities must urgently take action against the pollution in the Büyük Menderes River. Sürücü stated that the main sources of pollution are the untreated black wastewater from olive oil factories and geothermal operations, saying:
"Especially the olive oil factories operating in the Söke Organized Industrial Zone discharge their black wastewater directly into the river without treatment. This black and foamy water reaches Lake Bafa. Thousands of fish in the lake are struggling for survival with their mouths open at the water's surface. This situation threatens both biological diversity and public health."
"INSPECTIONS ARE INSUFFICIENT"
Sürücü expressed that they have also conducted examinations on the waters coming from the Upper Menderes Basin, stating that inspections have been inadequate. He reported that they observed the colors of the waters discharged into the natural channels behind the large factories in Söke OSB change according to the production processes of the factories, saying:
"We believe that the inspections regarding compliance with the limit values specified in the Water Pollution Control Regulation and the imposed sanctions are insufficient. Inspections should be conducted not only inside the factories but also in the channels where wastewater is discharged into nature and in the waters entering Lake Bafa, where fish deaths occur. If businesses are effectively monitored, the source of wastewater can be easily identified."
"URGENT MEASURES MUST BE TAKEN FOR THE HISTORICAL STONE BRIDGE"
Sürücü pointed out that plastic waste and tree trunks have started to accumulate again behind the historical Stone Bridge, one of the region's important cultural heritages, and warned that this pollution will grow with the rains.
Sürücü stated, "When the water level rises, this mass of garbage will flow over the bridge and reach Lake Bafa and the Aegean Sea. An urgent floating barrier system must be established to hold the waste behind the Stone Bridge. All relevant institutions, especially the Provincial Directorate of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change, must conduct inspections at the right points and with scientific methods; necessary sanctions against pollutants exceeding the limit values must be applied decisively."