Adana (Turkey) (AFP) – Bordered by clementine orchards in the province of Adana, in southern Turkey, the banks of the canal where Ibrahim Yildiz grazes his sheep would look like a postcard setting. But that would be without the mountains of plastic shavings.

Published on: 10/11/2026 - 09:06

"It's been like this for ten years. Here, we call it the dirty canal. My animals no longer give milk," sighs the 65-year-old shepherd, fatalistic.

The EU's leading destination for plastic waste with 510,000 tonnes imported in 2025, as well as 140,000 tonnes imported from Great Britain, Turkey has become "the dumping ground of Europe", denounce environmental defenders as COP31 opened Monday in Antalya.

Valued at 94 million euros in 2025 by the European Commission, this trade causes pollution of the Mediterranean and Turkish agricultural lands with mainly non-recyclable plastics.

They end up in mountains of filthy shavings, abandoned in nature or burned in the open air, noted AFP. With poorly crushed waste that betrays its origin: a package of French ham, a packet of Austrian chips, a sachet of British tomato sauce.

Nearly 60% of this waste is sent to the province of Adana, where some 170 recycling companies are located in the heart of fertile lands producing more than a third of Turkey's citrus fruits.

"Disaster"

According to marine biologist Sedat Gundogdu, of the Microplastics Research Group (GRM), the particles wander, between rivers and floods, from Adana to the Mediterranean where they accumulated on the Turkish coast this summer.

“We have measured a concentration of micro-plastics in the Mediterranean up to 65 times higher than the levels observed so far. Up to 93% comes from the crushing of waste in recycling centers,” he says.

"It's an ecological disaster because it's permanent. Once it reaches the sea, the whole Mediterranean is polluted."

Questioned by AFP, Turkish Environment Minister Murat Kurum refuted these accusations. “We absolutely do not authorize imports of waste (...) What comes in? Crushed granulated material, used as raw material,” he told journalists on October 23.

Where illegal waste imports were detected in Adana, "we closed the identified companies and imposed sanctions", he added.

But for Sedat Gundogdu, fines and inspections remain insufficient, even if everything is often compliant in theory.

“We must globally put an end to the waste trade, which is a new form of colonialism,” he denounces. "Only 9% of plastics are recyclable. Trying to recycle a material designed to be thrown away is expensive. This is why Europe sends them to other countries. In this case, recycling is an illusion."

-"We can't breathe"-

In Kucukdikili, a disadvantaged suburb of Adana, local residents no longer support open-air incinerations, presented as accidental fires.

Nearly 200 fires are recorded each year in Türkiye in recycling establishments, according to a GRM count. “Adana is not the dumping ground of Europe,” local residents chanted during a demonstration in August.

Murat Esin, who lives next to a recycling site, complained to the presidency, to no avail. “We can't breathe because of the smell and the ashes that cover everything. Cases of cancer are increasing in the neighborhood. But no one listens to us,” he says.

“Incineration is the only way for these companies to get rid of non-recyclable pieces for free,” denounces environmental defender Yasar Gokoglu, while a crane feeds plastic chips into a mountain of waste next to homes.

“Europeans may be giving themselves a clear conscience by sorting. But they must know that their waste ends up poisoning us.”

“Zero waste”, promoted by a foundation created by Turkish first lady Emine Erdogan, will be at the heart of the COP31 negotiations, according to the Turkish Minister of the Environment.

“Plastic waste imported into our country for recycling must be treated without harming the environment and waste management processes must be effectively controlled and traceable,” Samed Agirbas, president of the Zero Waste foundation, told AFP.

However, the EU's ban on exporting plastic waste to non-OECD countries from November 21 risks increasing these flows to Turkey, itself an OECD member.

“COP31 offers an opportunity,” says Sedat Gündogdu.

“A call to end the waste trade would put Turkey in a leading position. The goal of zero waste can only be achieved by stopping these imports.”

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© 2026 AFP

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