The best of the past are now in the scrapyard.

The Scrap Vehicle Center, established for the first time in Turkey by Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, continues to contribute abandoned scrap vehicles that cause environmental pollution and security problems in various parts of the city to the economy. The center, where not only the once popular luxury brand cars but also classic scrap vehicles are collected, currently holds 476 scrap vehicles.
Izmir Metropolitan Municipality continues to collect abandoned scrap vehicles that obstruct traffic flow, cause security problems, and create visual and environmental pollution throughout the city to the Scrap Vehicle Center established in Kazımpaşa Neighborhood of Menemen. The center, with a capacity of 892 vehicles, bearing the distinction of being the first municipal scrap parking lot in Turkey, is located on a 13,000 square meter area. Luxury brand scrap cars as well as dreamlike classic vehicles are put back into the economy if not claimed within 6 months.
Stolen vehicles are not accepted. Fatih Toprakdeviren, Head of Zabıta Traffic Branch at Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, stated that they identify vehicles with scrap qualifications in accordance with Article 122 of the Highway Traffic Regulations. Toprakdeviren said, ‘We generally identify scrap-looking vehicles that are risky in terms of security and cause environmental and visual pollution. We initiate work based on complaints from citizens or official letters from district municipalities. We conduct inspections where the vehicle is located. If it has a license plate, we write to the district municipality and request that a notification be sent to the owner within 7 days. If we cannot reach the owner within 7 days after the notification is made, we collaborate with the security forces. We try to reach the owner of the vehicle through the Traffic Inspection Branch of Izmir Police Department by using the chassis information if the vehicle has a license plate. If we cannot reach them, we tow the vehicle with traffic prohibition records issued by Izmir Police Department.’
Fatih Toprakdeviren stated that vehicles are kept in this center for 6 months. During this period, vehicle owners can reclaim their vehicles by applying to Izmir Police Department with a document obtained from the Traffic Inspection Branch. Vehicles not retrieved after 6 months are transferred to the Machinery and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE) through the joint efforts of Izmir Metropolitan Municipality, Izmir Police Department, and Ministry of Environment and Urbanization to be put back into the economy. Since the center opened in January 2020, a total of 684 vehicles have been towed, out of which 177 were reclaimed by their owners and 31 were put back into the economy. Currently, the center houses 476 scrap vehicles.