After the deadliest earthquake in its modern history, Turkey faces the daunting task of disposing of hundreds of millions of tonnes of rubble, some of it potentially harmful.
In many cities, rescue teams have been replaced by thousands of trucks and excavators that claw away at the mountains of concrete. Workers in the city of Antakya, in Hatay province said it can take several days to clear the debris of one building.
Deputy Environment Minister Mehmet Emin Birpinar said in a tweet that dust suppression systems were being used to prevent harmful substances like asbestos from circulating. Some environmental activists and opposition politicians warn that improper clearance of rubble could lead to ecological disaster. At least one site, visited by Reuters, was a wooded area.
So far, 19 temporary sites had been identified in Hatay, with a total area the size of 200 football fields and 150,000 cubic metres of rubble were being moved per day, he added. He said thousands of trucks arrived daily and the rubble had grown into a massive mound. Bulldozers then flattened the waste and pushed it towards a cliff side, sending some debris tumbling into the valley and creating large clouds of dust.
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