SEM Plastik introduced its reusable cup system at ITU

As part of the Clean Energy Days held at Istanbul Technical University, SEM Plastik carried out an exemplary project that brought its sustainability vision into practice. The “SEM Refill” reusable cup system developed by the company was implemented as a concrete circular economy model directly experienced by hundreds of participants throughout the event. Yavuz Eroğlu, Chairman of the Board of SEM Plastik, stated that the aim of the SEM Refill system is to offer a realistic, practical, and scalable alternative to fast-consumption habits, emphasizing that with well-designed systems, plastics can clearly be shown to be part of the solution rather than the problem.

Throughout the event, beverages served to participants were provided in SEM Refill cups instead of single-use products. After use, the cups were left at designated collection points, gathered through a central system, and put through industrial washing processes before being returned to use in a short time. In this way, the same product was circulated repeatedly during the event, ensuring resource efficiency.

Thanks to this system, the generation of single-use waste was significantly reduced, while the reuse of products lowered the carbon footprint. Participants became an active part of the process by experiencing sustainability directly rather than seeing it merely as a theoretical concept.

At the end of the event, cups that had reached the end of their useful life were sent for recycling, preserving material value and reintroducing them into the circular economy.

A LOCAL AND SCALABLE CIRCULAR MODEL

It is observed worldwide that reuse systems commonly implemented at large-scale events create a lower environmental impact compared to single-use products, even after only a few uses. SEM Plastik adapted this approach to Türkiye and developed a local and scalable model.

This implementation at ITU became an important example for the expansion of event-based circular use systems in Türkiye, while also demonstrating that practical sustainability solutions are possible.

“SUSTAINABILITY CREATES VALUE ONLY WHEN PUT INTO PRACTICE”

Yavuz Eroğlu, Chairman of the Board of SEM Plastik, made the following remarks regarding the project:

“Today, sustainability gains meaning not by talking about it, but by putting it into practice. With the SEM Refill system, our goal is to offer a realistic, practical, and scalable alternative to fast-consumption habits. With properly designed systems, we clearly demonstrate that plastics can be part of the solution, not the problem. With this model, we aim not only to reduce waste, but also to create a lasting transformation in consumption habits. We believe that such applications implemented in areas where young people are highly concentrated, such as universities, play an important role in spreading sustainability awareness.”