Zonguldak Ereğli Neighborhood's 'Truck' Struggle: We Live Amidst Dust and Noise

Residents of Kıyıcak Mahallesi in Zonguldak's Ereğli district are living in a state of distress due to constant dust, noise, and vibrations from heavy trucks using their neighborhood road. The trucks serve a concrete plant and a quarry, and their relentless passage is severely impacting the quality of life and health of the local population.

For years, the community has endured this ordeal, unable to ventilate their homes or use their gardens freely. Agricultural activities are also negatively affected. Residents express grave concern over the health risks, particularly for children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses. Elif Kartal, a resident, described living amidst "truck noise, dust, and mud" for years, stating she can only sleep for two to three hours a day due to the disruption. Dust coats their gardens, and many residents are suffering from respiratory issues.

Kartal claims that some residents are battling illnesses like asthma and cancer, with some even forced to leave the area. Despite numerous attempts to discuss the issue with truck drivers and employers, no solution has been found. "Our children have asthma. We are constantly going to the hospital," Kartal said, adding that the sheer volume of trucks, with dozens passing and making hundreds of trips daily, exacerbates the problem.

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Our children have asthma. We are constantly going to the hospital. Many people in the neighborhood are like me. Some people have decided to leave their homes. We are in such a bad situation. You know, maybe 40-50 trucks pass during the day. They pass almost 4-5 times. They make at least almost 100 trips.

Sevim Çelik, another resident, echoed these sentiments, noting that even recent road paving has not alleviated the dust and noise. The constant noise disrupts children's studies, and asthmatic individuals are particularly affected by the dust. They cannot use their balconies or gardens, and even crops like hazelnuts are covered in dust. "We can't hang laundry on our balconies, we can't open our balconies. Everywhere is dust and smoke," Çelik lamented, describing the road being covered in "cement water."

İmrah Kartal highlighted that despite road improvements, the dust problem persists, causing health issues for many, including his wife. Repeated appeals to authorities have yielded no results. Önder Öner from the Karadeniz Ereğli Environment Platform (KERÇEP) confirmed the long-standing nature of the problem, indicating that residents' demands for trucks to use the industrial zone route have not been met, despite promises made after a previous road blockade.

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We can't hang laundry on our balconies, we can't open our balconies. Everywhere is dust and smoke. They take water 3-4 times, and then dust rises to the sky. They literally poured cement water on the road.