Some 2 million tons of waste recycled in Turkey

ANKARA

Alamy Photo

Turkey recycled some 2 million tons of waste, including plastics, glass and tires last year, according to data state-run Anadolu Agency compiled.

Data showed that 730 tons of waste batteries, some 178,00 tons of waste tires and 484, 000 tons of plastic were recycled in 2019.

The recycled materials also included some 234,000 tons of glass and 821,000 tons of packaging waste.

The Portable Battery Exporters’ and Importers’ Association (TAP) is the sole organization that was authorized by the Environment and Urban Planning Ministry to collect, transport and dispose waste batteries.

The association, which has been active since 2004, collects such batteries from post offices, schools, universities, organized industrial zones, mosques and supermarkets.

As a result of such efforts, 752 tons of waste batteries were collected in 2018, whereas the corresponding figure was 730 tons in 2019.

The Tire Industrialists’ Association (LASDER) leads activities in coordination with the ministry in collecting waste tires.

Back in 2018, LASDER retrieved more than 200,000 tons of tires which completed their life cycles.

Last year the amount collected was 177,611 tons, according to the data.

In 2019, municipalities gathered 1.8 million tons of packaging waste. Accordingly, 484,000 tons of plastic packaging, around 234,000 tons of glass packaging and 821,000 tons of paper packaging waste were recycled.