Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University (BEUN) has added a new milestone to its innovative initiatives in line with its goals of environmental sustainability and green transformation. The invention titled “Plastic Bottle Emptying, Compressing, and Collection Bin”, for which the BEUN Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer is the applicant, has been officially registered by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office (TÜRKPATENT) and placed under legal protection.

The invention, which compresses the plastic bottles found in public areas as trash and collects them, makes it possible to collect the water and similar fluids left in the bottles in a special compartment and reuse it to water the green spaces. The system that works without the need of an external power source contributes to the circular economy and sustainable resource use.

Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Şenol Hakan Kutoğlu and a faculty member of the Department of Civil Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, Asst. Prof. Onur Dündar are among the inventors of the patented invention.

Rector Özölçer: “Universities are the Strongest Stakeholders of the Zero-Waste Vision”

Emphasizing that sustainability is not just a goal, but public responsibility universities have towards the society and the future in his remarks on the topic, BEUN Rector Prof. Dr. İsmail Hakkı Özölçer stated the following:

“With the sense of responsibility of being the first university of the Republic, we deem making strong contributions to the green transformation through academic and social studies as our main responsibility. Each environmentally friendly initiative that uses the resources efficiently and aims to leave a livable planet for the future generations is a strong reflection of the vision and sense of responsibility of our university.

Taking significant steps in becoming an eco-friendly, productive and innovative institution, we are implementing the vision of sustainable campus vision through our exemplary projects in the fields of green spaces in our campuses, energy-saving applications, and environmentally friendly transportation options. In this context, we aim to promote a culture of sustainability and raise environmental awareness among universities by undertaking the role of GreenMetric Türkiye National Coordinator.

We believe such registered innovative projects developed to address plastic pollution strengthen social awareness as well as offering solutions. Zero-Waste initiative carried out under the leadership of the First Lady Mrs. Emine Erdoğan, has a significant role in ensuring that environmentally friendly projects gain societal acceptance. I strongly believe that such meaningful and pioneering projects implemented by our university will lead to permanent results.

I would like to express my thanks to the President of Turkish Patent and Trademark Office, Prof. Dr. Muhammed Zeki Durak and the family of Turkish Patent and Trademark Office for their valuable support to the higher education institutions in the fields of research and development and innovation technologies. I would also extend my gratitude to the President of the Council of Higher Education (CoHE), Prof. Dr. Erol Özvar and the family of the Council of Higher Education (CoHE) for leading our university through its quality-oriented growth, specialization and sustainability-focused higher education policies. I would also like to thank Vice Rector Prof. Dr. Şenol Hakan Kutoğlu and faculty member of the Department of Civil Engineering, Asst. Prof. Dr. Onur Dündar for their contributions to the registration of the project, which contributes to the environmental sustainability, and those who contribute to the process.”