Turkey Imports Plastic Waste from Europe

As debates about plastic pollution continue to grow, the global plastic waste trade has attracted considerable attention in recent years. As we all know, plastics remain in nature for a long time without decomposing and cause significant damage worldwide. They accumulate in the stomachs of some animals and can lead to death. They degrade soil structure, causing infertility. Additionally, they break down into tiny particles called microplastics, which enter water, animals, and ultimately the human body through these two sources. The effects of microplastics on human health are still unknown. To prevent this, recyclable products are recommended instead of single-use items. Turkey became the country importing the most plastic waste from Europe in 2020. Every day, 241 trucks full of plastic waste are brought to Turkey. Over the last 16 years, plastic waste coming from Europe to Turkey has increased 196-fold. Following China's ban on plastic waste imports in 2018, Turkey became the new destination for plastic waste, and imports have continued to multiply every year. In 2020, a total of 659,960 tons of plastic waste was imported into Turkey. Burning plastic waste imported from abroad is prohibited in Turkey. When this waste is burned, it releases large amounts of carbon into the environment, and can also lead to numerous pollutants—from potentially toxic metals to pesticides—entering the air and water sources. Even when this waste is properly recycled, the risk of recycling facilities releasing microplastics into the environment persists. Importing plastic waste from abroad has extremely negative and irreparable consequences for Turkey. It is being discussed that it would be more beneficial to focus energy on recycling domestically produced waste rather than importing plastic waste. We will see together what steps will be taken regarding plastic waste imports and recycling in the coming years. We should all do our part by prioritizing recyclable products, living accordingly, and not polluting the environment.