UK waste exports to Turkey surge by 60% between 2022 and 2023

UK waste exports to Turkey surged by 60% between 2022 and 2023, as highlighted by a new analysis from Greenpeace Türkiye. The data, sourced from UN Comtrade, reveals that the UK

became the top exporter of waste to Turkey in 2023, shipping 140,907 tonnes compared to 87,900 tonnes in 2022.

Yearly Breakdown of UK Waste Exports to Turkey:

Rudy Schulkind, a political campaigner at Greenpeace UK, emphasized the need for the UK Government to prohibit all waste exports.

“The UK can’t keep using nations like Turkey as a dumping ground for the mountains of waste we produce each year,” Schulkind stated. “This scandal highlights that we generate far more waste than we can manage safely or sustainably. We must take responsibility and move away from an 'out of sight, out of mind' approach.”

A 2021 Greenpeace report previously uncovered evidence of UK plastic bags and packaging being dumped and burned across southern Turkey. After peaking at 209,640 tonnes in 2020, UK waste exports dropped to a low of 87,900 tonnes in 2022. However, the resurgence in 2023 suggests this decline was temporary. Data from the first nine months of 2024 indicates a continued increase in waste exports.

The trend of rising plastic waste exports to Turkey can be traced back to January 2018, when China implemented a ban on plastic waste imports.

Nihan Temiz Ataş, the plastics campaign lead at Greenpeace Türkiye, pointed out the environmental toll these imports have taken. “Our field research shows that Türkiye’s soil, air, and water have been irreversibly contaminated by imported plastic waste,” she said.

Ataş urged the UK government to adopt a transparent and responsible approach to waste management. “The Global Plastics Treaty presents an unprecedented opportunity to end Türkiye’s role in Europe’s plastic waste trade,” she added. “If robust enough, the treaty could ensure significant measures to prevent plastic pollution at every stage, from production to disposal.”