UK Plastic Waste Exports Pollute Turkish Agricultural Waterways

Investigations have revealed severe microplastic contamination in the waterways of the Çukurova plain in Adana, Turkey. Marine biologist Sedat Gündoğdu found that microplastic concentrations downstream from the Kemal Deniz recycling zone were 10 to 132 times higher than upstream, threatening fertile agricultural land and food safety.

The pollution is linked to recycling hubs that process massive volumes of waste from the UK and EU. Data indicates that 13 British companies shipped 52,000 tonnes of plastic waste to this specific hub between May 2021 and July 2024. Three UK companies—Eurokey, ProtoGreen, and Conspiracy theory—emerged as the top exporters. Eurokey attributed the reliance on foreign exports to a lack of domestic infrastructure, noting the company is building its own recycling plant in Corby to address the gap.

Environmental groups have labeled the practice waste colonialism, alleging that wealthy nations exploit countries with less regulated waste management. The Environmental Investigation Agency has called for an immediate phase-out of plastic waste exports and a reduction in plastic production. In response, the United Kingdom Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs stated that strict controls on waste exports are already established in UK legislation.