A Guardian investigation has found high levels of microplastic pollution in a waterway near a major recycling hub in Turkey, a leading destination for UK plastic waste, raising concerns about contamination of one of the country's most fertile farming regions.
Key facts
- High levels of microplastics and plastic contamination were found in a waterway near a major recycling hub in Turkey, according to a Guardian investigation.
- The recycling hub is supplied with plastic waste by British companies, the Guardian reports.
- The polluted waterway floods into agricultural fields after heavy rain and feeds a canal used to irrigate crops.
- The contamination affects the Çukurova plain in Adana, one of Turkey's largest and most fertile agricultural basins.
A Guardian investigation has found high levels of microplastics and other plastic contamination in a waterway close to a major recycling hub in Turkey, a country that is a significant destination for waste exported from the United Kingdom.
According to the Guardian, the recycling hub is supplied with plastic waste by British companies. The polluted waterway sits near this hub in the south of the country.
The investigation reports that after heavy rain, the contaminated waterway floods into surrounding agricultural fields. The waterway feeds into a larger canal that is used for irrigating crops.
The affected area is the Çukurova plain, in the city of Adana in southern Turkey. The Guardian describes it as one of the largest and most fertile agricultural basins in the country, underscoring the potential reach of the contamination into food-growing land.
The Guardian frames its findings within what it terms ‘waste colonialism’, pointing to the burden it says is placed on Turkish farmers by the UK’s plastic waste. The outlet reported farmers expressing frustration, quoting the sentiment ‘Nobody cares’.
The findings raise questions about where plastic waste exported by British companies ultimately ends up and the environmental consequences for communities in destination countries.
Why it matters
Plastic waste exported abroad can end up polluting the environment and food-producing regions in the countries that receive it. The investigation raises questions about the accountability of waste exports and their impact on farmers and crops far from where the waste originated.
Frequently asked questions
Where was the plastic pollution found?
It was found in a waterway close to a major recycling hub in Turkey, near the Çukurova plain in the city of Adana in the south of the country.
How could the pollution affect crops?
According to the Guardian, the polluted waterway floods into agricultural fields after heavy rain and feeds into a larger canal used for irrigating crops on the Çukurova plain, one of Turkey's most fertile agricultural basins.
What is the UK's connection to the contamination?
The Guardian reports that the recycling hub near the polluted waterway is supplied with plastic waste by British companies.