| Name of Program | Deposit Return System; part of “Zero Waste” project. [1] |
| Date Implemented | 1 January 2022. |
| Containers Covered |
Containers first covered in first stage roll-out:
Containers first covered in second stage roll-out: [2]
All containers must be between 0.1L and 3L. |
| Beverages Covered |
|
| Amount of Deposit |
TBD – Likely a flat rate between 0.25 TRY and 50 TRY (€ 0.04 – € 0.08). [3] |
Details
In 2017, Turkish First Lady Emine Erdoğan initiated the "Zero Waste" Project, which sought to reduce waste and improve the national recycling rates. In 2019, in line with this program, Environment and Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum announced that a deposit scheme for all beverage containers will be implemented by 2023. The switch was intended to occur in 2021. [4] The scheme was finally announced to be implemented at the beginning of January 2022, as the Turkish Environment Agency Established. [5] Deposit points will be placed at busy locations such as shopping centers and malls.
Previously, there existed some novel ways for consumers to "return" their containers to supplement the country's recycling rates. Residents of Instabul could refill their transportation pass, Instabul Kart, by depositing aluminum or plastic containers into reverse vending machines (RVMs) at designated metro stations. [6] Private company Pugedon also allows consumers in Instabul to deposit plastic bottles into their own RVMs that will dispense food for the city's large stray animal population. [7]
Footnotes
[2] "Global Deposit Book 2020: An Overview of Deposit Systems for One-Way Beverage Containers." Reloop Inc. 15 December 2020.
[3] Ibid.
[4] "Turkey boosts recycling capacity, saves 93,000 tons of plastic in 4 months." The Daily Sabah. 17 June 2020.
[5] See Footnote 1.
[6]“Bottles deposit return scheme gets green light in Turkey.” Hurriyet Daily News. 21 January 2019.
[7] "Recycling Machines in Turkey Provide Food for Stray Animals When a Bottle is Deposited." Wood, Jonathan. March 2021.
Last Updated on 2 December 2021.