Republic of Turkey

Prevention and reduction of plastic waste generation

Charge for single-use plastic products (e.g. shopping bags, straws)

Names of actions:
Charging of plastic bags

Targeted products:
Plastic bags

Brief description:
In order to prevent environmental pollution, raise awareness for environment and efficient management of resources, the Procedures and Principles Regarding the Charging of Plastic Bags have been put into effect as of January 1, 2019. For the application of charging plastic bags in 2020, “Procedures and Principles for Amending the Procedures and Principles Regarding the Pricing of Plastic Bags” has been updated and published with the Ministerial Approval dated 22.12.2020 and numbered 66745475-145.07-274510.

Numerical data if any:
It is known that before 2019, the amount of plastic bag production in Turkey was around 35 billion pieces per year, and a person in Turkey used an average of 440 plastic bags per year. As of January 1, 2019, the practice of charging plastic bags (25 kuruş/piece in 2019 and 2020 continues to be applied without changing in 2021) has been started in our country, and plastic bags are started to be procured at sales points for a fee.

In 2019 and 2020, there was a 75% decrease in the use of plastic bags, and when this reduction rate is evaluated only in terms of waste management, it has been determined that the formation of 290,000 tons of plastic waste has been prevented. With the reduction rates in the use of plastic bags in 2019 and 2020, the import of plastic raw materials necessary for the production of plastic bags in our country has also been prevented and approximately 2 billion Turkish Liras have been saved, while the emission of approximately 12,000 tons of greenhouse gas has been prevented.

Measures

Achievements

Environmentally sound waste management

Enforcement of proper waste management system

Names of actions:
Environmental Law amendment

The National Waste Management and Action Plan (2016-2023)

Brief description:
The National Waste Management and Action Plan (2016-2023) was prepared in 2017 in order to reduce and limit the amount of waste going to landfills throughout the country and to determine the targets and facilities needed for waste recovery, recycling and energy production.

Revision studies have been initiated for the years 2023-2035 in order to harmonize the National Waste Management and Action Plan (2016-2023) with the circular economy approach, to increase and disseminate separate collection at source, and to determine recovery and disposal methods.

In accordance with the Zero Waste Regulation (Official Gazette dated 12 July 2019 and numbered 30829), Provincial Zero Waste Management System Plans were prepared in 2020 by 81 provinces with under the chairmanship of Governors and accepted by the decision of the Local Environment Boards. Provincial Zero Waste Management Plans contain the issues regarding the establishment of a zero waste management system within the province taking into account the local characteristics and current conditions, short and long-term targets together with the strategies and policies at the provincial level, planning and goals for increasing recovery through separate collection at source and training & awareness raising activities.

Municipalities are included in the Provincial Plans at the level of district municipalities responsible for the collection and transportation of waste, and at the level of provincial and metropolitan municipalities responsible for the establishment and operation of waste treatment facilities. In this direction, the current situation and needs in equipment and infrastructure have been revealed, especially civic amenity centers, waste collection methods and waste collection points (including waste drugs from households) are considered within the scope of Provincial Plans. In addition, the current situation of the infrastructure and future planningfor the buildings such as health institutions, educational institutions, public institutions and organizations, industrial enterprises, tourism facilities throughout the province are also included in the Provincial Plans.

By the Environmental Law amendment published in the Official Gazette No. 30621 and dated10.12.2018, Additional Article-11 titled “recycling contribution share” came into force in order to regulate the collection of recycling contribution share from the producers and importers of the products listed in the Annex-1 of the law. All packaging including plastic bags, tires, accumulators, batteries, mineral oil, vegetable oil, medicine, electrical and electronic equipment and beverage packaging are included in the Annex-1.

The Recycling Contribution Share which is an incidence of “polluter pays” and “extended producer responsibility” principles aims to finance the development of the waste management infrastructure and to meet the necessary expenses for collection, transportation and recycling of packaging and other special wastes as well as encouraging the reduction of waste generation.

The Regulation on Recycling Contribution Share prepared by our Ministry was published in the Official Gazette dated 31/12/2019 and numbered 30995 (4. Repeating) and was put into effect as of 01/01/2020.

According to the revision on Turkish Environmental Law (Additional Article-No.12) In order to prevent environmental pollution, the Ministry obliges the deposit application for the packages and products to be determined as of 1/1/2022. Accordingly, sales points that sell the products covered by the deposit are obliged to participate in the deposit collection system.

3.2.2 Prevention of littering, illegal dumping and unintentional leakage of waste into the ocean

Names of actions:
Current environmental legislation covers related matters on this issue.

Measures

Achievements

Cleanup of marine plastic litter

Collection of scattered waste on beach

Names of actions:
Clean-up activities planned and done in 28 coastal provinces of Turkey.

Brief description:
Collection of scattered waste for different coastal types (eg: beach, sandy, stony, cliff, sea fill area, etc.)

Comments:
The trend changes from place to place and time to time. It is not possible to make a generalization.

Removal of plastic litter from the ocean

Names of actions:
Clean-up activities planned and done in 28 coastal provinces of Turkey.

Brief description:
Collection and removal of all litter (including plastics) from coastline and shallow sea by divers.

Comments:
The trend changes from place to place and time to time. It is not possible to make a generalization.

Measures

Achievements

Check the following actions in your country.

Choose the most appropriate options to describe the achievements attained through the measures selected, using quantitative information if any.

Public-private partnerships for creating and implementing innovative solution

Measures

Achievements

Education and awareness raising

Education system for encouraging public awareness on MPL issues

Numerical data if any:
Under the scope of the zero waste project the number of people receiving training has reached 12 million.

Awareness raising campaigns related to MPL

National level:

Names of actions:

• Public service announcements, shown on TV’s regularly
• Zero waste blue promise (an encouragement campaign both for companies and citizens)

Brief description:
Zero waste blue promise is a promise given by companies and citizens, committing that they will reduce their wastes at source and help attending awareness raising campaigns for others as well.

Local level:

Names of actions:
Studies planned and conducted under Circular on Marine Litter Provincial Action Plans’ Preparation and Implementation for all 28 coastal provinces of Turkey.

Brief description:
Tailor made awareness raising campaigns conducted locally.

National level:

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Local level:

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Measures

Achievements

Monitoring & Scientific research on marine plastic litter

Actions for encouraging monitoring / scientific research on plastic flows and ocean surface microplastics

Names of actions:
“Integrated Marine Pollution Monitoring Programme (IMPM)” in other words National Marine Monitoring Programme.

Brief description:
Ministry of Environment and Urbanization (MEU) has implemented “Integrated Marine Pollution Monitoring Programme (IMPM)” in order to monitor the quality and pollution of marine environment and coasts of Turkey- Aegean Sea, Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Marmara Sea- which provides the basis for national marine and coastal management policy and strategies

We see a positive improvement from last two years

Comments:
New marine litter monitoring parameters/indicators have been added to the National Marine Monitoring Programme.

Engagement in international/regional level actions for encouraging monitoring / scientific research on plastic flows and ocean surface microplastics

Names of actions:
“Integrated Marine Pollution Monitoring Programme (IMPM)” in other words National Marine Monitoring Programme.

Brief description:
The programme is in compliance with the the national legislation, Regional Marine Conventions (Bucharest and Barcelona Conventions), and EU directives (MSFD and WFD).