Our waste policy? “Ship it to Türkiye”
The EU exports its plastic waste to other countries, most notably to Türkiye. Since China's ban on plastic imports in 2018, Türkiye became the world's foremost plastics importer. Despite Türkiye’s commendable efforts in recycling a significant portion of its plastic waste – reportedly more than 18% – challenges persist, particularly in regions like Mersin and Adana, where recycling plants operate. These facilities raised concerns about health hazards for workers, including respiratory illnesses and reproductive problems.
Moreover, Türkiye’s plastic recycling industry often relies on vulnerable refugees, mostly from Syria and Afghanistan, who face precarious working conditions and lack adequate social protections. Despite initial efforts by the Turkish government to ban plastic imports in response to a public outcry, such measures were later reversed, leading to continued environmental degradation.
 | Ata Ahmet Kökçü The EU's role in exacerbating Türkiye’s plastic crisis has not gone unnoticed. Criticism has been directed at Western economies, including the EU, the UK and the US, for perpetuating "waste colonialism" by exporting unrecyclable plastics to countries like Türkiye. Reports indicate that European exporters resort to falsifying documents to include non-recyclable plastics in their shipments, exploiting Türkiye’s economic vulnerabilities. In response to mounting pressure, the EU recently revised its waste export rules, banning plastic waste shipments to non-OECD countries. However, shipments to OECD countries, including Türkiye, remain permissible. Environmental campaigners emphasise the need for stringent enforcement of recycling standards and inspections to safeguard both the environment and public health. Without clarity on how assessments will be conducted and enforced, the burden on Türkiye may further escalate. Türkiye is already dealing with its own pollution after the earthquake in early 2023, and is shouldering additional environmental pollution from Europe. |
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