Mersin Environment Platform Protests Plastic Waste Imports: 'It Has Turned into an Environmental Disaster'

Members of the Mersin Environment Platform staged a protest in the Susanoğlu neighborhood of Silifke district, demanding an immediate halt to plastic waste imports into Turkey. Holding a banner that read, "Ban the import of European plastic waste that poisons our sea and soil, and harms our health," the activists highlighted the severe environmental and health consequences of the ongoing influx of foreign waste.

The platform asserted that plastic waste imported primarily from European countries, including the UK, is processed in recycling facilities in Adana and Mersin. According to their claims, a significant portion of this waste is then discharged into local rivers and the Mediterranean Sea, contributing to visible pollution along the coasts of Hatay, Adana, Mersin, and Antalya.

Sabahat Aslan, spokesperson for the Mersin Environment Platform, described plastic waste as a major source of pollution, with up to 90% being non-recyclable. She explained that this waste contaminates soil, rivers, and seas, leading to the death of marine life and ecosystem disruption. Aslan further noted that sunlight and waves break down plastics into microplastics and nanoplastics, which can reduce agricultural yields.

Aslan pointed out that European Union countries, aware of these impacts, began exporting their waste to China in 1992. However, after China banned imports in 2018, Turkey became a primary destination for European plastic waste. The platform is calling for a complete ban on plastic waste imports and more effective supervision of recycling facilities to prevent environmental catastrophe and protect public health and future generations.

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Plastik atık kirliliği çevre felaketine dönüştü