Military and construction waste in Ukraine could become additional source of energy, says Turkish expert

Millions of tons of military and construction waste have accumulated in Ukraine as a result of the war, and this waste could be converted into an additional energy source to provide the population with electricity and heat.

Ali Rıza Öner, president of the Waste Management and Waste-to-Energy Producers Association (TAYED), said this in a comment to Ukrinform.

“Such a system should consist of three stages. The first is sorting waste into hazardous, medical, military, and construction categories. The second is establishing regional processing centers, as waste must be treated according to its type. The third is final disposal and energy production. This requires specialized hazardous waste incineration plants,” said Ali Rıza Öner.

The expert added that simple incineration is not enough, as systems for cleaning harmful gases, filters for toxic substances, and emission control in accordance with European standards are necessary. 

The main advantage is that waste is converted into energy.

“Heat can be used to heat cities, and steam can be used to generate electricity. This is essentially an additional source of energy,” the expert explained.

According to him, in Turkey, the construction of such a plant takes 1.5–3 years, costs $60–180 million, and has a capacity of eliminating 500–2,000 tons of waste per day. 

He also noted that unmanaged waste remains hazardous even after the war ends. Particular attention should be paid to construction waste, which is much more difficult to dispose of than it might seem.

“Construction waste can contain door and window parts, materials containing paint and chemicals, plastic, and particularly hazardous substances such as asbestos. Such waste cannot be left in the environment—it poses a serious health risk,” Öner emphasized.

The Turkish expert also noted that Ukraine is becoming a key player in the defense industry. Therefore, managing military production waste is becoming increasingly important.

According to him, Turkish companies can act not only as contractors but as partners, as they have experience in handling such waste.

As reported by Ukrinform, according to data from the State Environmental Inspectorate, the total confirmed damage to Ukraine's environment since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion exceeds 6.4 trillion hryvnias.