Plastics Market Study for Türkiye

Project Objective: The “Plastics Market Study for Türkiye” project aims to enhance the understanding of growth drivers and barriers to scaling up 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) approaches in Türkiye, specifically within the plastics sector. By conducting a comprehensive assessment of the plastics market, the project seeks to identify barriers and opportunities that would prioritize public-sector actions, drive private-sector investments, and promote the management of used plastics as a valuable resource rather than waste.

Key Activities: The project involves the following activities to achieve its objectives:

• Conducting a material flow analysis to evaluate the lifecycle and movement of plastics within the market.
• Analyzing the plastic value chain and key stakeholders operating upstream and downstream.
• Reviewing market and policy conditions to identify strategies for reducing plastic consumption, pollution, and enhancing circularity.
• Summarizing findings to develop actionable recommendations and priority actions for the government.

The market assessment will incorporate desk research and consultations with key stakeholders. By combining market analytics, scenario analysis, and assumptions, the study will address data gaps and provide actionable insights for private-sector participation in Türkiye.

Context: Plastics have become one of the most widely used materials globally, with production increasing by an average of 9% annually since 1950. However, rapid urbanization and mismanaged plastic waste have led to significant marine pollution. Single-use consumer packaging contributes 40-50% of marine plastic pollution, and approximately 5 to 13 million tons of plastic waste enter the oceans annually. By 2030, the total amount of plastic waste in oceans could reach 250 million tons.

In 2022, Türkiye ranked second in Europe and sixth globally in plastic processing capacity. The Turkish plastics sector has grown at an average annual rate of 4% in both volume and value over the past decade, reaching a production capacity of 10.5 million tonnes in 2022. Despite its global share of 2.6% in plastic product manufacturing, Türkiye’s plastics industry is reliant on imports due to insufficient raw material production. In 2022, the country imported 708,000 tonnes of plastic end products while exporting 2.7 million tonnes.

Methodology: The project will be carried out under the supervision of the World Bank task team and in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change of Türkiye (MOEUCC). Specific tasks include:

1. Inception Phase: Define the project’s framework and objectives.
2. Material Flow Analysis: Assess the lifecycle and movement of plastics in Türkiye.
3. Value Chain Analysis: Map key stakeholders and analyze the dynamics of the plastics value chain.
4. Market Analysis: Review current market conditions to identify opportunities and challenges for enhancing circularity.
5. Policy Review: Evaluate the enabling policy environment for promoting a circular plastics economy.
6. Synthesis and Recommendations: Summarize key findings and provide actionable recommendations for priority government actions.

Project Partners:

• ANKA Sürdürülebilir Çözümler Danışmanlık ve Mühendislik Ltd. (ANKA)
• Kaynak Çevre ve İklim Derneği İktisadi İşletmesi (REC İktisadi İşletmesi)
• Frankfurt School of Finance & Management gGmbH (FS)