UK plastic ‘waste colonialism’ found to be polluting Turkey’s farming heartland
A Guardian investigation has linked plastic waste exported from the UK to severe pollution in Turkey's agricultural heartland. The findings raise concerns about 'waste colonialism' and the environmental impact of international recycling supply chains.
Why it matters
It exposes the hidden environmental costs of waste management policies in developed nations and their impact on developing agricultural regions.
Plastic bottles and containers are seen in a domestic recycling bin in Manchester. Plastic bottles and containers are seen in a domestic recycling bin in Manchester. Seascape: the state of our oceans Plastics UK plastic ‘waste colonialism’ found to be polluting Turkey’s farming heartland A Guardian investigation finds irrigation canals polluted with microplastics in Turkey, a major destination for UK waste
‘Nobody cares’: Turkish farmers bear the burden of UK’s plastic waste problem
About this content Karen McVeigh and Ayça Aldatmaz in Adana Tue 4 Aug 2026 05.00 EDT Last modified on Tue 4 Aug 2026 05.14 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google High levels of microplastics and other plastic contamination have been discovered in a waterway close to a major recycling hub in Turkey supplied with plastic waste by British companies.
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