Despite evidence of potential environmental harm, the European Union will continue to ship hundreds of thousands of tons of plastic waste to Turkey annually, reports Politico.
This decision means that cooperation with Turkey—the EU’s primary market for waste exports—will continue. A European Commission assessment obtained by *Politico* outlines a long list of concerns regarding the processing of EU waste in Turkey and sheds light on the often opaque and difficult-to-monitor international waste trade.
Concerns include limited information on the monitoring of plastic waste, uncertainty regarding the implementation and enforcement of EU waste regulations, and a lack of feedback from stakeholders on policy execution.
The Commission interviewed several industry players who estimated that only about 10% of plastic waste in Turkey is actually recycled, with the majority ending up in landfills, being mismanaged, or leaking into the environment. These are potential grounds for halting waste exports to Turkey; nevertheless, the Commission has allowed the exports to continue.
The assessment focused on Turkey because it is the destination for the largest share of EU waste.
Last year, Turkey imported 510,000 tonnes of European plastic waste, an amount equivalent to approximately 25 billion half-litre beverage bottles. This figure represents 70% of plastic waste exported to OECD countries and 36% of total plastic waste exports.
Under the EU Waste Shipment Regulation—which restricts the export of certain types of EU waste to non-EU countries to prevent environmental harm—the European Commission was required to assess by the 21st of May whether OECD countries importing large volumes of plastic waste were causing significant damage to their own environments or public health.
Despite serious issues regarding plastic waste management, the Commission concluded in a delayed assessment on the 1st of September that waste exports could continue. It found that Turkey had strengthened its plastic waste management laws—aligning them largely with international and EU regulations—and had improved the enforcement of environmental legislation.
Lauren Weir, Senior Campaigner at the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) and the Rethink Plastic alliance, stated that
the report reveals serious discrepancies between the Commission’s findings and its approach
to interpreting the regulations. She pointed out that regulatory procedures clearly specify the required course of action when there is insufficient evidence of environmentally sound waste management. She added that the EIA would discuss this matter with EC.
Dr. Sedat Gündoğdu, an environmental researcher at Çukurova University and head of the Microplastics Research Group, noted that EU laws mandate specific actions when evidence of environmentally sound waste management is lacking. Yet, despite clear evidence of violations, the EC’s assessment concluded that there were no issues. He stated that instead of legitimizing pollution, the EU should take responsibility for the waste generated within the bloc and halt its export to Turkey.
The report highlights both the progress achieved and the shortcomings that must still be addressed to ensure safe waste management. The EC will continue its cooperation with Turkey and closely monitor the situation to help achieve sustainable waste management. A re-evaluation is scheduled for 2028.
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