Why Turkey should not import plastic waste pollution from developed countries?

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Waste Management
• Marine Pollution

Background:

• Turkey became a major global plastic waste importer following China's 2018 ban.
• Annual plastic waste imports surged from 261,864 tonnes to 772,831 tonnes by 2020.
• Domestic waste management struggles, with 90% of municipal solid waste landfilled.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the impact of global plastic waste import shifts on Turkey.
• To evaluate Turkey's plastic waste management challenges and marine pollution contributions.
• To assess the implications of recent import restrictions.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of plastic waste import data before and after China's ban.
• Review of Turkey's domestic waste management capacity and recycling programs.
• Assessment of Turkey's contribution to marine plastic pollution in the Mediterranean.

Main Results:

• Turkey's plastic waste imports dramatically increased post-China ban.
• Despite import restrictions, illegal dumping and burning persist.
• Turkey is a significant contributor to European marine plastic pollution, especially in the Mediterranean.

Conclusions:

• Recent import restrictions present an opportunity for Turkey to enhance domestic waste management.
• Strengthening internal infrastructure is crucial to mitigate plastic leakage into the Mediterranean Sea.
• Addressing plastic waste mismanagement is vital for reducing marine pollution.