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Turkey waste management and emissions scrutiny
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2026-11-08 09:45 UTC → 2026-11-10 10:27 UTC ·
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Turkey has faced international scrutiny regarding its management of plastic waste and methane emissions from landfills. Reports indicate the country receives hundreds of thousands of tons of plastic waste from the European Union and the United Kingdom, leading to allegations of “waste colonialism” by some media outlets. An EU document noted that only 10 percent of plastic waste in Turkey is recycled, prompting European Commission officials to suggest that plastic waste exports could be suspended if environmental issues are not addressed. Additionally, satellite data from researchers at Carbon Mapper and UCLA identified substantial methane leaks from Turkish landfills, such as the Seymen landfill near Istanbul. The Turkish Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change responded to the satellite findings by stating the data is insufficient to determine annual emission totals. The Ministry also noted that recycling rates under its Zero Waste program have increased from 13 percent in 2017 to over 37 percent. In response to allegations that Europe is dumping waste in Turkey, the Center for Combating Disinformation (DMM) issued a formal denial. The agency characterized these denial, characterizing claims as “heavy manipulation and a malicious perception study,” asserting that study.” During the entry COP31 UN Climate Conference in Antalya, Macit Karaahmetoğlu, a member of hazardous or non-recyclable garbage is strictly prohibited by law. The DMM stated that only clean, source-separated waste intended for industrial raw material is permitted the German Bundestag’s European Affairs Committee, warned of the environmental and health impacts of these exports. He noted that any shipments not meeting standards are immediately returned in 2025, approximately 500,000 tonnes of plastic waste were sent to their country Turkey, representing more than one third of origin. the EU’s plastic waste exports. Karaahmetoğlu cited studies in the Adana region where microplastic concentrations downstream from recycling facilities were up to 132 times higher than upstream, posing threats to agriculture and the food chain.
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- 2026-11-10 10:27 UTC Turkey waste management and emissions scrutiny
- 2026-11-08 09:45 UTC Turkey waste management and emissions scrutiny
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