UK plastic waste exports linked to pollution in Turkey

Research and investigations have revealed that plastic waste exported from the United Kingdom is contributing to significant environmental and agricultural pollution in Adana, Turkey. Between May 2021 and July 2024, British companies shipped approximately 57,300 tons of plastic waste across 545 consignments to the Kemal Deniz recycling zone.

Marine biologist Sedat Gündoğdu, from Sabancı University’s Istanbul Policy Center, found that microplastic levels in a canal near the recycling facility were ten times higher than in upstream locations. This canal feeds into irrigation systems that supply the Çukurova Plain, one of Turkey’s most productive agricultural regions, raising serious concerns regarding food safety and soil contamination.

Local residents and farmers report that the waste contributes to air pollution, toxic fumes, and water contamination. The Adana Ecology Platform noted that poorer districts hosting these recycling plants face chemical, water, air, and soil pollution. Experts have called for a total ban on plastic waste imports to Turkey and the mandatory implementation of microplastic filtration systems in all recycling facilities.