The first event in the “Transformation Workshops” series, implemented under the cooperation protocol signed between Istanbul Medeniyet University and Maltepe Municipality in the field of sustainability, was held on Friday, March 6, 2026, at Feyzullah Neighborhood House. The workshops, which attracted significant interest from Maltepe residents and were designed for participants aged 18 and over, aimed to raise awareness about zero waste and responsible production and consumption. The project was led by Ayça ÇELİKBİLEK, a research assistant at the Sustainability Office, with the project team consisting of Research Assistant Furkan ERUÇAR and our Sustainability Club students Livanur İNAN, Şirin Beyza ÖZBEY, and Bedrihan YALTA.
The first event in the workshop series, the “Paper Production Workshop with Recycling” addressed how waste paper can be recycled. The Sustainable IMU team provided participants with comprehensive training by combining theoretical and practical content throughout the workshop. At the event, project leader Research Assistant Ayça ÇELİKBİLEK first explained the history of paper to the participants. Noting that the first paper production, dating back to around 105 AD, was also based on the principle of recycling, ÇELİKBİLEK stated that Cai Lun produced paper using old pieces of cloth, fishing nets, and plant fibers. It was stated that paper recycling is essentially a mechanical process based on the separation of fibers in paper in water and their re-bonding during drying. Attention was drawn to the fact that the fibers shorten during this process, causing the quality of the newly produced paper to decrease with each recycling process. At this point, ÇELİKBİLEK stated that although paper can be recycled, it cannot be recycled indefinitely at the same quality, noting that paper can be recycled an average of 5-7 times, and therefore, unnecessary use should be prevented first and foremost for the waste hierarchy. Afterwards, information was provided on which papers can be recycled and which cannot. It was noted that food and oil residues left on paper packaging, such as pizza boxes, can prevent the recycling of paper and also pose a contamination risk for clean paper in waste bins.
Following the theoretical part, the team, which also included students from Istanbul Medeniyet University’s Sustainability Club, demonstrated the new paper production process by recycling waste paper. research assistant Furkan ERUÇAR, from the Sustainability Office, explained the important points to consider during the recycling process that would be carried out during the workshop. Participants then had the opportunity to create their own designs by working with different applications such as seeded paper, colored paper, and decorative paper throughout the workshop. Through these applications, participants experienced concrete examples of how waste paper can be revalued and contribute to sustainable production.
The second event in the “Transformation Workshops” series, which will continue until June, will be held on March 27 with the “Seed Bookmark Workshop” This workshop series, organized in collaboration between the university and the municipality, aims to raise awareness of sustainable living and provide participants with hands-on recycling experience.
