Waste shipments sent from European Union countries to Türkiye can continue under existing oversight mechanisms. Türkiye remains one of the main destinations for EU waste under the framework established by the European Commission for waste shipments, while the management of plastic waste continues to be debated in terms of environmental protection and public health.
EU rules require environmental compliance
The EU's new Waste Shipments Regulation entered into force on May 20, 2024. The regulation requires waste exported outside the EU to be processed in an environmentally sound manner and recipient countries to demonstrate that they have the necessary processing capacity. Reducing the risks of cross-border shipments to the environment and public health is also among the regulation's objectives.
The new system introduces stricter provisions on shipping plastic waste to non-OECD countries. Plastic waste exports to these countries are due to be banned from November 21, 2026. Since Türkiye is an OECD member, this direct ban does not apply to Türkiye; shipments to the country are monitored through requests for information, inspections and, when necessary, the suspension of flows.
Requirements for facilities and waste flows in Türkiye
Under the conditions outlined by Türkiye's Ministry of Trade, plastic waste must be processed in an environmentally sound manner. Key requirements include ensuring that imported waste does not disrupt the processing of domestic waste generated in Türkiye, preventing its re-export to third countries and regularly inspecting the facilities that carry out the processing.
Monitoring for certain types of waste began on May 20, 2024. If a sudden increase in shipments is observed, the relevant country may be asked to provide information and documents proving that the waste is being processed in an environmentally sound manner. This means oversight focuses not only on whether shipments continue, but also on the acceptance and processing stages.
The 10 percent figure is not presented as official data
The estimate that only 10 percent of plastic waste can be recycled is not presented as an official statistic released by the European Commission. Since the figure has been cited as an assessment by some stakeholders, and it is unclear which types of waste, period and methodology it covers, it cannot be accepted as definitive recycling data.
The debate focuses on how much of the plastic brought to Türkiye is actually recycled and how the remainder is managed. The possibility that non-recyclable waste may be incinerated, stored or released into the environment makes it important to monitor the effectiveness of inspections, facility capacity and pressure on waste management.
Türkiye's position in the EU waste system
Türkiye became one of the EU's main destinations for waste exports in 2020. Ankara announced in December 2020 that mixed plastic imports would be banned from 2021 onward. By contrast, the EU's new regulation, adopted in 2024, regulates waste sent to OECD member countries such as Türkiye through environmental compliance and oversight requirements rather than halting it completely.
The continuation of waste flows to Türkiye preserves the country's position in Europe's waste system while increasing responsibility for recycling capacity and oversight practices. The European Commission requires environmental and public health protections; in Türkiye, facility inspections, preventing re-shipments and ensuring that domestic waste processing is not disrupted are decisive.
