Türkiye launches nationwide waste return scheme
Türkiye has rolled out its nationwide Deposit Return System (DOA) on July 1, introducing a refundable incentive of 1 Turkish Lira for eligible plastic, glass and aluminium beverage containers as part of efforts to boost recycling and reduce waste.
Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum announced that the scheme, previously tested in pilot provinces, will expand to the country’s 81 provinces and 973 districts. Consumers who return beverage containers bearing the official DOA logo to designated return points or reverse vending machines will receive 1 lira per container, up from the previous pilot incentive of 0.25 liras.
Kurum said the marked containers are already on the market and would no longer be viewed as waste after the system comes into force.
“From July 1, citizens who buy these products will no longer see them as rubbish. When they take them to deposit return points or machines, they will receive a 1-lira refund for each product,” he said.
