While environmental pollution remains on the world agenda as a serious threat, Turkey has become Europe's waste pool.
We are the country that imports the most recycling waste from Europe with 14.7 million tons in 2021, but we cannot even fully recycle our own waste.
According to the Waste Statistics announced by TURKSTAT every 2 years, only 49 million tons of waste in Turkey could be recycled in 2020. On the other hand, 78 million tons of waste was disposed of without recycling.
While the environmental pollution caused by waste recycling stands before us in all its reality, Turkey, which cannot even fully transform its own waste, imports waste just for the sake of money and cheap raw materials.
ALL INCOMING WASTE CANNOT BE RECYCLED
While mucilage, drying lakes and acid rains threaten Turkey seriously due to environmental pollution, garbage imports continue for years despite all the reactions. How Turkey, which has become Europe's waste pool, evaluates the waste is a different problem. According to research conducted by environmental organizations operating in our country, thousands of tons of imported waste are either thrown into the environment or incinerated. In other words, not all of the waste coming into our country can be recycled. Turkey's waste problem, which cannot fully recycle even its own waste, is increasing. It is wondered when serious measures will be taken against the environmental pollution problem of our country, which is one of the first in the world in waste production.
THE REASON OF WASTE IMPORT IS CHEAP SUPPLY OF RAW MATERIALS AND MONEY
Turkey's waste problem was also reflected in the Waste Statistics published by TURKSTAT in 2 years. According to TURKSTAT's data, only 49 million tons of metal, plastic, paper and mineral waste could be recycled in 2020, while 78 million tons of waste was disposed of by burning or burying. Despite all this, the answer to the question of why Turkey imports is cheap raw material supply and money. Data on recycling imports are also not fully published. It is not known which company in Turkey imports how much waste and how it evaluates the waste. It is estimated that the recycling problem, which has a great impact on air and environmental pollution in Turkey, will cause a more serious nature destruction in the future.