Türkiye generates an estimated 48 kilograms (105.82 pounds) of plastic waste per person annually, well above the global average of 33.1 kilograms, highlighting the scale of the country's plastic-waste challenge, according to the Zero Waste Foundation’s Plastic Waste Report: International Data and Indicators for Türkiye.
Fevzi Esen, editor of the report, said Türkiye needs to look beyond recycling to tackle its plastic-waste challenge, pointing to gaps in data collection and monitoring and the scale of plastic waste entering the marine environment.
Esen said plastic waste needs to be addressed across the full chain from production and consumption to waste management, rather than focusing primarily on what happens after plastic becomes waste.
As part of the Zero Waste Foundation’s efforts to develop concrete measures, Esen said it will hold a two-day workshop in Istanbul on Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, bringing together ministers, government representatives, academics and private-sector representatives to examine different aspects of plastic waste.
Esen said data from the report and the findings of the workshop will help shape a Plastic Action Plan, which is expected to be announced after the workshop.
