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.

He noted that global plastic production increased from 234 million tons to approximately 460 million tons, while plastic waste generation rose from 156 million tons to 353 million tons.

Only 9% of plastic waste is recycled globally, while 19% is burned, 50% is placed in controlled storage and 22% is managed under unsafe conditions, according to figures cited in the report.

Esen said increasing recycling rates remains important, but that recycling alone cannot resolve the problem because plastic production continues to grow. "Our priority should be to produce less waste,” he added.

He said plastic has become deeply embedded in everyday life, from construction and automotive products to textiles and household goods. He also noted that microplastics can be released from synthetic textiles during washing and enter wastewater systems, meaning plastic pollution extends beyond commonly discussed single-use products.

Esen said Türkiye needs to move toward a circular economy model in which plastic is considered an economically valuable raw material and products are designed with their eventual reuse or recycling in mind.

Weak data limit action

Alongside waste generation, Esen identified data reliability as a major challenge for Türkiye and other countries.

He said countries use different metrics and reporting standards, with some updating their figures only every four or five years and others lacking mechanisms to report comprehensive data.

Such differences make international comparisons difficult and can leave policymakers working with incomplete or unreliable information, he said.

Türkiye is estimated to have 5.79 kilograms of plastic waste leaking into the environment per person annually, compared with a global average of 6.65 kilograms, according to the report, Esen said.

Citing Gulf countries, Esen said some have high per capita plastic waste generation but relatively low levels of plastic leakage because of established disposal systems and their ability to export waste that cannot be processed domestically.

He called for more frequent data collection, standardized reporting and stronger verification mechanisms in Türkiye.

Digital tools, satellite technology and sensor systems could help authorities monitor plastic waste in real time, he said.

Preventing marine pollution

Esen said coastal plastic waste should be regarded as the "final stop” of a problem that often begins on land.

An estimated 14,300 tons of plastic waste is transported into the sea through rivers in Türkiye, according to the report, based on a model using 2019 and 2021 data.

He said cleaning beaches alone would not solve the problem and urged authorities to focus on preventing waste from entering rivers and other waterways.

"If we clean the same places every year and encounter the same amount of waste there the following year, it means that we are doing something wrong,” Esen said, noting that recurring coastal pollution shows that the problem is not being addressed at its source.

He also pointed to densely populated areas around Istanbul, including the Golden Horn and the Bosphorus, where plastic pollution warrants particular attention.

Esen also linked plastic pollution to public health, saying accumulated waste can create breeding grounds for mosquitoes, insects and other pests. He said the issue therefore extends beyond environmental cleanup.

Plastic on COP31 agenda

Plastic waste also figures into the Zero Waste Foundation’s preparations for COP31, with the foundation working with the Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Ministry on an agenda covering zero waste, oceans and seas, food security, climate-resilient cities, youth education, financing, green industrialization and clean energy.

Esen said plastic waste has a close connection to these areas and should not be reduced to a single issue, calling for a holistic approach involving different sectors.

On microplastics, Esen urged caution in interpreting the available evidence. Although microplastics have been detected in human tissues and blood, he said longer-term research is needed to determine their effects on human health.

Esen said the ultimate priority should be to prevent plastic waste from being generated and released into the environment in the first place, rather than relying on cleanup after it reaches the environment. He called for greater public participation, stronger monitoring and more reliable data, warning that the growing volume of plastic waste will ultimately affect future generations.